


Horror-tober Prompts

by veinsofblue



Category: Dishonored (Video Games), Thief (Video Games)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Blood, Crossover, Garrett-centric, Gen, Horror, Suspense
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-01
Updated: 2018-10-25
Packaged: 2019-01-08 02:38:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 31
Words: 28,070
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12245451
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/veinsofblue/pseuds/veinsofblue
Summary: [COMPLETE] A collection of spoopy ficlets for a October horror prompt. Thief universe/Garrett-centric with a few crossovers.





	1. It's just a shadow

**Author's Note:**

> Here's a link to the [prompt](https://gurobob.tumblr.com/post/165296522375/its-time-for-horrortober-ive-scraped-together-a) on tumblr.

1\. It’s just a shadow  
[ sometimes things aren’t what they seem ]

  
**\--**

  


The moon crept from cloud to cloud, the silver light flickering to and fro creating the best kind of cover for a getaway thief. When Garrett could no longer hear the heavy footfalls of the clumsy guards, he turned and headed towards the clock-tower.

It was a bit of an uneventful night. Stealing the ring was all too easy, but he had stumbled into a guard and _that_ had been careless of Garrett as another guard had appeared. Yet escaping from them had been child's play. His lips twitched with mirth. 

Up ahead the tower rose before him and he nimbly climbed through the window. Dropping from the windowsill, he dusted off his knees and walked over to the stairs leading down to where his collectibles were stored. He dug the ring out and finally got to give it a closer look. 

It was actually quite plain—inlaid with a single dark and dull stone. He turned it over and gave it a cursory glance, but found nothing else of interest. Just as he was about to set it in one of the display cases, he saw movement from the corner of his eye. 

He spun around quickly, steeling himself for the worst, but there was nothing. His eyes flickered to the dark corners though all was still. The only movements were light cast off from the candles nearby. 

_It’s just a shadow._

Garrett let out a small breath. He definitely needed some sleep. He put down the ring which felt heavy and cold in the palm of his hand. As he closed the cover of the case, he swore the surface of the stone rippled and then as he blinked, an obscure symbol appeared for a split second. 

He blinked again and stared at it. Nothing. 

A shiver ran down his spine and he plucked the ring from the display, stashing it in a small pouch. 

Garrett was hardly superstitious, but he was not going to ignore his gut instinct when it usually served him well. Sleep would have to wait. It was time to get rid of this ring first. 

  


  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo, this is actually fun. Let's see how long I'll last. OTL


	2. Big sharp blades

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soo this turned out a little differently from what I had first planned, but I like how it turned out anyways.
> 
> -
> 
> Here's a link to the [prompt](https://gurobob.tumblr.com/post/165296522375/its-time-for-horrortober-ive-scraped-together-a) on tumblr.

2\. Big sharp blades  
[ Knives and swords and scythes oh my! ]

  
**\--**

  


One thing Garrett had never been a fan of was sword fighting. His slender build against others of bigger proportions had always attracted snickers and jeers his way and he didn't believe in fighting anyways. Now he regretted that he never even took the time to learn how to properly defend against someone with a weapon because he was in a bit of trouble. 

He was slowly getting cornered and his opponent was in a solid suit of armor. He only had his blackjack and his bow and arrow—however helpful those were. Yet all around him were actual weapons. Hung upon the walls were knives and swords and even a scythe. 

Basso had given him a job about obtaining a dagger and it seemed easy enough, but there was a catch. The place it was located was supposedly haunted and no one wanted to take the job—even for the handsome reward the client was offering—and those who had tried had been spooked off or mysteriously disappeared. Of course Garrett didn't believe in any of that and took the job. 

He had easily found the dagger. It hadn’t been hard seeing as it was inlaid with so many gems that whoever wielded it would surely attract more trouble than it was worth and made it too heavy for practical use. It was _after_ acquiring the useless weapon that trouble did find him.

Now he was stuck in a room surrounded by sharp weapons and some fool in full armor swinging a bloody mace above their head; gradually, but surely approaching. He glanced around, but knew the only exit was blocked off—his impending doom in between him and escape. The enemy took another step closer and at that moment they stood in the direct center of the room, the chandelier right above them. 

The chandelier was quite rusted, as was the chain that held it up. It was attached to the wooden beam overhead with a nail missing; out of the three that remained, two were loose. All in all, the structure didn’t look like it was going to hold up for much longer. It swayed a bit at the heavy steps of iron below and dust drifted down. Without a second thought, Garrett notched an arrow and shot. For a moment he thought it wouldn’t work—perhaps the nails were stronger than they seemed, fasten a touch too tight—but then it came crashing down. 

With a loud echoing clang, whoever it was inside the armor fell to their knees—the light fixture holding them down. However strong they were, under the added weight they were trapped.

Garrett waited a moment, but the other was lying prone on the debris scattered upon the ground—seemingly unconscious or just incapable of rising. He walked over to them and crouched a foot away. Still there was no stir or sign of movement. 

The thief carefully reached out to lift the visor of the helmet and as it fell back with a small screech, he quickly leapt back—dread beginning to set. He was expecting to see the rugged face of a middle-aged man or the strong and proud face of a youth, but instead what he saw was what he never would have expected. 

Staring back at him from the depths of the helmet was nothing.

  


  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I need to up the scare factor dammit


	3. This place gives me the willies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Darn, I'm late in posting. Well I just had a hard time focusing and ended up writing it pretty late too, but heyy, it's over a 1000 words (which i did not plan on). Sorry if there are any mistakes or horrible flow. I'll fix it when I have time.
> 
> -
> 
> Here's a link to the [prompt](https://gurobob.tumblr.com/post/165296522375/its-time-for-horrortober-ive-scraped-together-a) on tumblr.

3\. This place gives me the willies  
[ you’ve got to pay attention to your backgrounds ]

  
**\--**

  


The front gate loomed before them, dark rusted iron nearly seven feet tall with sharp points at the top—expectedly locked. The thick chains holding it together were wrapped around twice and the heavy padlock was slightly beaten up, like someone had tried to break it.

_Amateurs._

He and Erin gave a once-over towards the house—or rather, a small manor was more apt. It had been abandoned for quite a while as the windows were all boarded up and the yard unkept with vines growing as they pleased up upon the sides of the building.

“Wow, this place looks better than my hideout.” Erin joked.

Garrett shook his head and got to work on the lock. Not long afterwards, he dropped the tarnished lock on the ground and unwound the chains, giving them free access to the grounds now.

“How much do you bet that the front door is locked huh?”

Garrett gave her a blank stare.

“Ah, you’re no fun! Basso would’ve bet something no matter how little.”

“Well Basso would be smarter if he didn’t.” He replied.

Erin grinned at that and strolled up to the door. She twisted the knob and it opened, swinging inwards with a squeak. 

“You know, I wasn’t _really_ expecting the door to be unlocked, but this place _is_ abandoned...they probably just didn’t have time to lock the door behind them right?”

At that moment, the gate slammed shut with an unpleasant screech as the wind picked up, howling a bit as the two shivered slightly.  
“They did make sure to lock the gate though.” Erin shrugged and slipped inside. 

Garrett glanced around and as he was about to head inside, he saw a flicker of movement to his right. Hanging from the branch of a sturdy tree was a length of rope, more accurately, a noose hung swaying in the breeze. He quicken his steps and followed Erin inside.

Unlike the outside, the interior seemed to be in a much better condition. The wallpaper wasn’t ripped nor was there broken furniture laying around—everything was mostly covered by dull white sheets. The only complaint the thief had was the amount of dust in the air as the particles tickled his nose.

“C’mon already!”

Garrett turned sharply. At the top of the staircase, Erin was leaning against the banister with a bored look.

“I’m only getting older waiting for you so hurry it up Garrett!”

He sighed. The young had no patience these days. 

As he reached the second level, there was a large mirror placed in the center of the back wall. The frame made out of wood and the craftsmanship was _interesting_ to say the least. He peered closer and what had looked like entwined branches seemed like they were...overlapping bodies? A chill ran through Garrett. He never did understand the rich and their strange tastes. 

Backing away from the mirror he found that the hallway split two ways—left and right. 

“Done preening now? Anyways, I’m taking the right side.” The younger thief said.

“Of course, since you’re always right after all.” Garrett muttered.

“I heard that!” 

He couldn’t hide the small grin and watched as she disappeared down the hallway. Turning around, he strode towards the opposite and opened the first door he came upon. It opened with a creak and a puff of dust—Garrett grimaced, pulling on his mask so he wouldn’t have to inhale it further. Walking into the room, he saw that it was a guest room and like the room downstairs, most of it’s contents were covered. Nothing interesting stood out so he left that room on to the next. 

Unfortunately the two bedrooms and a small parlor afterward also held nothing valuable. He wondered if Erin had better luck than him. Exiting the room, he spotted Erin doing the same and one glance at her face gave him the answer he needed. 

“Please tell me you at least found _something_?” She whined.

He shook his head. 

“Arghh, fine. We still have downstairs. People usually hide stuff there right?”

He followed Erin downstairs and this time they stuck together since there was only the kitchen, another living room and a cellar door left. They were now standing in front of the latter, the only place left unsearched. 

The sun was soon about to set, but it was bound to be dark in the cellar so Erin had lit a lantern, conveniently hung beside the door. Garrett had given up hope before coming downstairs and believed that this “hidden treasure” was just a rumor, after all, not every rumor was true. They hadn’t come across anything of great value. All there was was just a lot of furniture, perfect if they had wanted to furnish a place. Erin wasn’t about to quit until she explored every room in the house so he let her.

“Huh, do the rich really need to lock their cellar?” 

This time she picked the lock and pushed the door open, a cloud of dust swarm towards them and Erin fell into a coughing fit as Garrett peered inside. It was pitch black and musty—a hint of something else in the air—and something felt off.

Before he could say anything, Erin straightened up, still hacking a bit and wiped a few stray tears from the corners of her eyes.

“Let’s go.”

She strode ahead with the lantern, the flame flickering casting their shadows about. The temperature was much cooler in here yet it felt stifling. Something darted before them and Erin let out a shriek, stumbling backwards. Garrett caught her as she swung the light around trying to catch a glimpse of whatever it was that spooked her. 

“It was probably just a rat. You’re fine.”

She gave a nod and continued on. Unexpectedly a slight breeze passed by then, caressing their exposed skin and raising the hairs on them. There were no windows in sight down here so where had it come from?

“So I don’t know about you, but this place is starting to give me the creeps.” Erin muttered.

Garrett had to agree. 

They wandered around a bit more and found the corner where the wine was stored. Many of the bottles were empty, but one hidden at the very bottom was still full and sealed.

“Well, we might as well bring this back for Basso and thank him for wasting our time.”

Erin rolled her eyes.

“Let’s go now. I really don’t like it here.” 

“Alright.”

He leaned down to pick up the bottle and the scent of copper hit him strongly. Turning the bottle in his hands, the liquid seemed awfully thick and the color was almost pitch black. Garrett shoved the bottle back in the slot and rapidly got up.

“You know what, Basso doesn’t need anymore alcohol.”

He prayed that she wouldn’t ask and something must have tipped her off because she began moving towards the exit. They hurried and nothing stopped them as they left the cellar, Erin pulling the door closed and threw the lock back on with trembling hands.

They looked at each other, both a bit disturbed and a bit afraid of breaking the silence with spoken words—their quick breaths were the only sounds they let out. They both jerked as a loud toll rang out, echoing throughout the house. After eight times it finally stopped and the silence settled once again.

Erin let out a forced laugh. 

“So I guess it’s getting late. Wouldn’t you say it’s _chime_ to go now huh?”

The older man groaned. 

“You’re as bad as Basso I swear. Let’s go before something else happens.”

The grin across her face shrank and she gave a shiver.

They left the house and they locked the door. As they were closing the gate behind them, Garrett felt his skin prickling and looked back towards the house. Like before, his gaze was drawn to the tree, but this time the noose wasn’t empty.

The padlock clicked into place and fell with a thud, just like Garrett’s heart.

  


  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I don't really think Erin would say 'willies' (lmao), therefore I changed it to 'creeps' because that is more like her. Anyways, hopefully today I will post on time. >_>


	4. The undead

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this chapter is a tribute to the original Thief series since there were actual zombies/undead in them.
> 
> -
> 
> Here's a link to the [prompt](https://gurobob.tumblr.com/post/165296522375/its-time-for-horrortober-ive-scraped-together-a) on tumblr.

4\. The undead  
[ zombies, vampires, and things we haven’t named ]

  
**\--**

  


There was something about the mines that unsettled Garrett and it wasn’t just for the fact that it had been abandoned due to an outbreak. There was poor lighting though visibility wasn’t totally obscured, not to a trained eye such as himself. He moved from shadow to shadow, unwilling to just carelessly stroll about out in the open even though no one was around. Though as he thought that, a faint groan filled the silence and he came to a halt—settling into a dark crevice nearby and casting a glance around. 

Another groan came, a bit louder this time and the light at the end of the tunnel flickered as a shadow appeared. Slowly it grew as something moved around the corner accompanied by occasional sounds of discomfort. 

_Was someone hurt?_

Garrett strained his eyes to see as the figure finally appeared within view. 

They were slightly hunched over and looked a bit frail. They seemed to be struggling at keeping upright—staggering from side to side, yet somehow mostly in a straight line. Straight being towards the direction of the thief and he groaned internally as he waited for them to hopefully pass by.

As they came closer and closer, Garrett noticed little details about the other. Firstly, there was no signs of a visible wound or blood anywhere upon them. Secondly, they seemed sick, their skin tone a pallid color and their grunts did not cease. Thirdly, a horrid stench was coming from them and Garrett was thankful for his mask as he pulled it up. 

When they were only a few feet away, the other could be seen more clearly and what the thief saw made him gag a little—the smell of rot filled his nostrils even through the cloth. He quickly breathed through his mouth to get rid of the scent, but the sight he took in wasn’t any better. 

The man—no, the being which he could tell was _not_ human—was horrifying. 

Their skin that had looked sickly at first was ashen gray and mottled—the flesh was rotten like someone had dug up a corpse and reanimated it. The dead did not move nor did they speak, yet moving at a snail’s pace this _thing_ in front of Garrett’s eyes did. 

He shrank as far as he could into the recess—more than just the cold of the wall chilled him as the eerie presence got closer.

As the space between them lessened even further, Garrett could see it's unfocused eyes. They were cast a milky white, so they were blind or at least, partially. As it stumbled right by his hiding spot, he unconsciously held his breath, waiting for it to continue on, but it stopped and weakly moaned.

Time seemed to slow down as it lingered an arm’s span away and Garrett’s heartbeat quickened, every thump seemed deafeningly loud. Just as his breath was about to run out, the thing moved on as slow as ever turning the short distance of the corner behind him, it’s cries echoing back. 

He shakily exhaled, slumping against the wall. 

It was going to be a _long_ night if there were more of those—more of the... _undead_.

  


  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writing these makes me wanna replay the games now dammit.


	5. Dressing up

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo, I took liberties on the 'dressing up' prompt because honestly, Garrett couldn't be convinced into doing something humiliating such as dressing up in 'costume', unless under pain of death or something lmao. Also I kinda wanted to write about a masked party like Lady Boyle's Last Party mission from Dishonored, but then I realized that Garrett's mask isn't really a mask, you know? And alsooo, please ignore the historically inaccurate costumes though it would have been hilarious if I had placed more in just for shits and giggles.
> 
> -
> 
> Here's a link to the [prompt](https://gurobob.tumblr.com/post/165296522375/its-time-for-horrortober-ive-scraped-together-a) on tumblr.

5\. Dressing up  
[ you’ve gotta love the classics ]

  
**\--**

  


“What are _you_ supposed to be?” 

The man that had asked was dressed as a jester and a frown graced his face.

Before Garrett could think up a good response, the young lady beside the other spoke up.

“My heavens! You’re dressed as the Master Thief aren’t you? Ohh, and your companion as the Masked Felon!” She squealed and her curls seemed to bounce as the feather on her headband swayed.

Garrett took a step back, startled by the woman’s excitement and turned towards Corvo for help. Although the other was hidden behind their mask as well, he could tell he was amused. As if he had read the thief’s mind, he spoke up. 

“Yes we are, my lady. It might’ve been a tad distasteful in foresight, yet you seem to be enjoying it well enough so it came to be a good decision in the end.” 

The lady giggled as her company rolled their eyes and Garrett wanted to as well, but _his_ mask didn’t cover his eyes.

“Might I ask where the host is? My friend and I would like to pay our respects.” 

That was a lie. They had no intentions of greeting the host since they came here to steal an item—well Garrett did—from said person. The only reason Corvo was here was because he knew the place _and_ had an invitation. After the lady told them the host was in the drawing room, Corvo thanked her and they left the pair behind.

They walked into the ballroom and were greeted with musicians in the middle of a song and many couples dancing—others lingered in groups throughout the room and by the refreshments. Garrett walked over to a vacant corner and the two surveyed the room. There were three entrances beside the one they had entered and one looked to be used by the servants as they bustled about, bringing more food and drink and removing empty glasses and plates.

“We can get upstairs through the servants quarters. There should be no guards stationed there and the servants are too busy to notice.” Corvo said quietly. 

Garrett nodded and they moved through the throng of people slowly, but quickly enough to not get caught up in any conversations. As they approached the servant’s entrance, the chatter and rustling of the workers could be faintly heard from one end of the hall and nothing from the other. They waited until a servant passed by with a tray of wine and then they slipped out towards the opposite end where a staircase lead upstairs.

Once they reached the second floor, Corvo took the lead and tread straight ahead, only slowing down once they arrived at an intersection which prompted Garrett to do the same. The thief peered around carefully and a guard was patrolling, their back towards them. Soon the guard turned a different corner and they continued on. When they nearly reached what was the middle of the house, Corvo stopped abruptly. 

“Something’s wrong.”

Garrett glanced around, spotting the problem immediately. 

Beside an ornate looking door—most likely the master bedroom where they were headed—were two guards, but instead of standing at attention, they were both slumped over on the ground.

Corvo walked over to check on the guards while Garrett checked the door. 

It was unlocked.

“They’re only unconscious.” The other murmured. “Whoever did this might still be around.”

“Well the door’s unlocked. You don’t think they might still be inside?” Garrett pondered aloud.

Just as he said that, the door swung open and a figure stepped out.

Garrett froze at the unexpected action—he had heard no footsteps at all, but that wasn’t the only reason he stood still in place. The other was in costume, entirely clad in black and their robes seemed to billow around them as they moved, or rather, glided. No matter how hard Garrett strained to see their features, it seemed to be shrouded in darkness beneath their hood. It was when they spoke that chills ran down his spine and he finally moved back a step, catching sight of Corvo as the other also stood stock still, their hand resting on the hilt of their blade.

“Good evening my friend. It seems I am running late, but what you seek is _held_ within.” They chuckled lowly in amusement.

Goosebumps spread all over Garrett’s skin.

“Albeit a bit _dirty_ , but I don’t think you will mind too much. At least your companion won’t.” 

The thief watched as the other disappeared around the corner and was startled by a firm grip upon his shoulder. Corvo stood next to him with a concerned look; his mask was off. He shook his head and nodded towards the door.

“Let’s just get what we came here for.”

He strode over to the door and wrenched it open. Nothing seemed to be out of place except one thing. A figure were sitting in a chair, back towards them and there was no way they hadn’t heard him opening the door unless they were either sleeping or...he banished that thought.

He slowly approached, his heartbeat quickened at each step he took until he turned and faced them. They stared back at Garrett with terror-filled eyes and mouth wide open in a silent scream, but what was more disturbing was the still fresh blood that streamed from their eyes and mouth, flecks of it on their clothing. They were–

“Dead.” Corvo whispered beside him.

Garrett shuddered. What had caused this? Had it been poison? He wasn’t sure, but what he _did_ know was that the robed figure had something to do with it. He backed up and was turning away when something caught his eye. 

In the man’s grip, a chain glinted where it hung. He took out a piece of cloth, suspicions of poison not yet ruled out and carefully pried the hand open, catching the object as it fell. Red specks bloomed across the white cloth and what Garrett held in his palm was what he had been searching for. 

_Just how had the stranger known?_

Dread settled like lead in the pit of his stomach. In his palm was the deep-red ruby pendant covered entirely in blood.

  


  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi Death, how you doin? Lmaooo


	6. Dummies dolls and mannequins

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Damn, I'm late again. I blame work. 
> 
> -
> 
> Here's a link to the [prompt](https://gurobob.tumblr.com/post/165296522375/its-time-for-horrortober-ive-scraped-together-a) on tumblr.

6\. Dummies dolls and mannequins  
[ the uncanny valley is a wonderful place ]

  
**\--**

  


He swiftly turned the corner and entered the first shop on his left. Not a minute later, guards came bounding around the same corner and he watched from the dusty windows as they split off into different directions with angry shouts. Unfortunately, a few lingered around the plaza.

“Oh, I see we have a customer. Welcome, good day to you sir.” 

Garrett whirled around, startled. Stood before him was a pale and fragile looking young man. 

“How may I be of service today? Were you looking for something specific or just browsing? Or did you have a _special_ request?” The young man smiled awkwardly at him. 

Garrett couldn't leave yet since there were still guards outside, so he took a look around. The front was quite small. In fact, it only consisted of a counter with a few tools scattered upon it's surface along with a register and an doorway behind that. All in all, it was rather bare and nondescript. 

“What exactly is this shop?” He asked. 

The shopkeeper seemed to straighten and a pleased grin spread wide across their face. Garrett hoped he wouldn't regret asking. 

“Ahh, how about a tour then? It would be _much_ more interesting to show you instead of explaining. Please, allow me!”

They stepped behind the counter and stood over by the door, patiently waiting for Garrett to do the same. He peered once through the shop windows and he saw a guard heading towards the shop. Without hesitation, he walked through the door and the young man shut it behind them. 

After he stepped through, the first thing he noticed was the rows of shelves, but what caught his eye afterwards were the dummies right in front. Most of them had smiles plastered on them, though a few looked rather deranged. The shopkeeper strode forward and stood next to them, picking one up and resting it along their arm.

“These here are the dummies—mere wooden puppets that you can manipulate to make others think that the puppet itself can–”

At that moment, the puppet’s arm moved and it’s hand gave a little wave. Then it’s mouth opened and words spilled out from it’s wooden lips.

**“–move and speak.”**

Garrett’s eyes shot up to the other’s face and a small amused smile could be seen; it was a bit unsettling. They set the dummy back down and moved further in and Garrett followed at a slower pace.

“Over here we have the mannequins, mainly used for adorning clothing. We also have anatomically correct ones that artists like to use as models though.” The man said in a bored tone paired with a haughty look—it vanished just as quickly as it appeared.

Garrett glanced at them and they all had sharp features, but their expressions seemed to be as if they were in some degree of distress. They were also a bit oddly proportioned and much too slender—the jut of collarbones peeking and hint of ribs stark against their sides like they were starved. 

“And here we have the dolls, a favorite of our customers. They’re made of porcelain and are very fragile. Many of our customers commission dolls of their departed loved ones and claim the resemblance is identical.” 

Out of what he had been shown, these were the most lifelike. Their skin looked smooth to the touch—too smooth—and milky white tinged with blue. They were all different, yet their collective eyes held the same vacant look and he shuddered as they seemed to gaze at him.

“Last, but not least, here is an example of a special request.”

Garrett tore his eyes away from the creepy dolls only to be chilled by a different sight. 

The young shopkeeper had taken off the white sheet hiding a few upright objects which stood nearby and it unveiled a figure.

It was the image of a young lady. It didn’t have the hinged jaws of the dummies, nor had weird features like the mannequins. Instead, it was awfully realistic—it’s face was perfectly sculpted, a lovely yet eerie smile tugged at it’s lips. It was human-like, more so than the dolls and they could almost pass as one if you didn’t know otherwise. The most distinct feature that grabbed ahold of the thief though, was it’s eyes. The more he looked at them, the more _alive_ they appeared, but something was disconcerting. 

_There were no pupils._

He took a step back and a grip tightened almost painfully on his right shoulder. He jerked in surprise and stared into the eyes of the shopkeeper; his muscles tensed as realization hit him.

Their eyes were the _same._

“Are you alright sir? Do you require some assistance?” 

The words seemed to drip with an intrusive regard as they loomed over him. Garrett wrenched his shoulder away, coldness remained where the iron grip was previously and moved abruptly away from _it_.

“No. I’ll be leaving now.” He said firmly.

“Are you quite sure? We have other _services_ we can perform as well.” 

Garrett stood wearily, watching the other until after a minute of silence, it sighed and spoke up.

“Alright, if you’d just follow me back to the front of the store.”

He waited for it to start walking before he did and as he passed by the rows this time, he heard small movements behind him, but he didn’t stop. When he reached the door he finally looked back. Every single pair of eyes were staring straight at him and in the back the young lady’s hand moved as if to beckon him back. Garrett’s heart stopped and he turned around sharply and bounded through the door. The air here felt less stifling than in the back, but he was still perturbed. 

He was halfway out the front door when a cough brought his attention back and he looked straight into the eyes of the young man—no, _it_ —a few steps behind him. He almost recoiled, but only his hand twitched.

“If you would ever like to visit or require our services in the future, you would be _most_ welcomed back. Good day to you sir.” A smile that didn’t and possibly couldn’t reach it’s eyes lingered as the door shut with a heavy thud.

Garrett stood frozen for a few seconds until the bustling sounds of the city life roused him. He was _never_ going back there again. He hurried away and as he did so, chills ran down his spine as if a throng of eyes were upon his back.

  


  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now I'm off to take a break and then to attempt the next prompt. :D


	7. Masked murderer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I'm officially a day behind now ~~and i hate myself for it~~. ¯\\(◉‿◉)/¯ I'll try to catch up, but work is kinda killing me guys. 
> 
> -
> 
> Here's a link to the [prompt](https://gurobob.tumblr.com/post/165296522375/its-time-for-horrortober-ive-scraped-together-a) on tumblr.

7\. Masked murderer  
[ there’s something about not seeing a face ]

  
**\--**

  


“Another body was found this morning. This time it was the blacksmith’s son. You know, the one with the wife that always gets beaten by him, though every time she says otherwise. I don’t understand women.” Basso shook his head.

Garrett hummed under his breath as he scanned the newspaper. The article said in more depth that the blacksmith’s only son had been found at the crack of dawn dead on the streets by the fish markets. One witness claimed that the murder was masked while another said they were faceless and the nature of death was once again, undetermined.

This wasn't the first death, in fact it was the fifth. For about two month now, bodies had been popping up all over the city—the poor _and_ the rich included—and the people were getting uneasy and harder to deal with. It wouldn’t take much more for them to break and mass hysteria to unravel. 

The Baron had taken up residence in his manor and had security tightened around the wealthier parts and more guards were stationed while even more patrols were being added. With the Baron hoIed up and the poor practically left to fend for themselves, Garrett suspected a riot would soon break out in the future if nothing was done and that was the _last_ thing the city needed right now. 

The only good outcome of the recent situation was that coincidentally or not, all the ones murdered were despicable characters of some sort. The culprit seemed to have no discrimination between the wealthy and the penniless, only for the wretched. Yet the thought of a killer on the loose did not bode well. Was it a lone psychopath or a gang of opportunists? Garrett didn't know and he wasn't sure he wanted to either. 

A loud bang brought him out of his thoughts and he glanced over at the window, it’s shutter loosely flapping from the wind. 

Basso swore. “Blasted winds! Ahh, it’s getting late. You better hurry back to the tower Garrett. You know it's not been safe at night lately with this... _problem_.”

“You know I’m always careful Basso.”

The fence gave him a pointed look.

He sighed. “I’ll be careful.”

He left before the other could say anything else but a goodnight and the door slammed shut behind him. From Basso’s place, the clocktower wasn’t far and usually he would take his time to get home—there was always something to be found along the way, be it gossip and rumors or trinkets and loot carefully hidden or stashed away in a cranny somewhere—but he had promised Basso and he didn’t unnecessarily want to break the promise even if the other wouldn’t have known. Having friends was a pain sometimes. 

The Crippled Burrick fell behind and he climbed the stack of crates at the corner, pulling himself up over the wooden railing above. He followed the walkway, strolling under the awning until he reached the end and vaulted over the rail. 

It was after he leapt a short distance across two flat sections and making his way over to the window of the tower when he heard a noise. He waited a few seconds and was about to disregard it when he saw a figure dart out from a house and stagger away into the streets. 

It was a woman and she appeared to be in distress, wildly looking about like someone was after her. She gave a choked cry and ran off into the dark. Curiosity filled him and he sent a silent apology to Basso as he quickly followed. 

As he trailed after the figure from the rooftops, what hit him as strange after a while was the woman kept stopping abruptly and running off again in a different direction. It was as if there was an invisible assailant after her. Scanning the roofs around him and the streets down below yielded nothing and Garrett was further intrigued. 

Finally, the woman stopped running—she’d ended up at a dead end. She stepped backwards until her back hit the wall and she then started to flail about in panic when suddenly she dropped to the ground, motionless. 

It was at that moment that a dark figure seemed to materialize from the darkness. With their appearance, the light from the lamppost nearby flickered and dimmed. They were clad in all black and they near blended into the shadows around them. They hovered over the woman and a dark mist swirled above her, moving towards the shrouded figure.

Garrett watched all of this from a rooftop close by, the moon gleaming bright in the night sky. He watched silently as more than just the cold chilled his body. 

When the last of the mist disappeared, the darkness seemed to brighten and the figure stepped under the streetlight and turned in his direction. Even with the light illuminating the figure, their features were concealed by the dark and Garrett could not determine if the other wore a mask or not. 

He was about to leave the bone-chilling scene when he swore the dark figure looked straight at him and he stood frozen on the spot, not daring to move from the shaded alcove. From the streets he shouldn’t have been seen, a mere dark stain against the roof, but he knew that whatever power was at play here, the other could clearly see him whether or not he hid. 

He flinched when a low but raspy voice seemed to echo through his mind.

_**Death has no need for a face nor mask, dear Garrett.** _

_**Good night.** _

Garrett watched as Death vanished into thin air.

  


  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello Death, we meet once again. (｡･ω･｡)


	8. Evil cult, Evil ritual

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was thinking to write about the Pagans but they're not _necessarily_ evil lmaoo
> 
> -
> 
> Here's a link to the [prompt](https://gurobob.tumblr.com/post/165296522375/its-time-for-horrortober-ive-scraped-together-a) on tumblr.

8\. Evil cult, Evil ritual  
[ organization for dark purposes ] 

  
**\--**

  


He watched from between the trees, right at the edge of the clearing as the wind rustled through the leaves above. It was dark in the forest with the moon steadily rising and he wished he wasn’t here.

Garrett had been having a slow night when he'd caught sight of a dark figure lurking about and muttering harshly. The only words he caught were ‘ritual’ and ‘human sacrifice’ and he decided to follow them into the woods. After a short distance, they had come across a lit clearing—a bonfire in the center and five other figures in the same attire. All of them were bustling about in preparation and excitement seemed to spread as the sixth figure joined them. 

He scanned the area and what caught his eye was a propped up wooden board with dark red stains upon it and several blades on a table nearby—the flame of the fire glinting off their surface. There was also a covered metal cage to the side and one of the figures walked over and tore the sheet off to reveal a young boy. He had a look of terror plastered on and shrank back against the bars at the sudden move.

Garrett began to move, staying on the shaded perimeter of the clearing. He kept a constant eye on the hooded figures as he made his way near the boy. Looking around he picked up an acorn and tossed it by the cage, not wanting to spook the other, but he needed his attention. The child turned around and looked right at him with a calm demeanor. A strange sensation filled the thief, but he needed all the time he could get, so he shook off the feeling and raised a finger to his lips. The boy slowly nodded and a smile appeared.

From this angle, the figures couldn’t see him so he crept forward until he was right beside the cage. His eyes followed the chain and of course the lock was on the other side where he would have no cover whatsoever. His eyes flickered back to the others and found that they had gathered in one spot—all he saw was a worn looking book held in one’s hand—before he turned back around.

He moved over to the lock and examined it quickly, taking out the correct picks and began to work. It was a rather easy lock though, so Garrett unwound the chain carefully as to not rattle them and opened the door. A shout then came from behind and he swore. With only a brief glance back, he grabbed the boy’s hand and sprinted. Luckily for them, it seemed they had lost their pursuers easily once they entered the lush surroundings, yet Garrett couldn’t shake off the feeling of _wrongness_. 

He slowed down to just a brisk walk and an abrupt pain spread across his hand. He looked down and found claws digging in, blood trickling from the sharp points. Wrenching his hand away, his eyes met the child’s and he shuddered. 

It was no child.

Fangs protruded from it’s mouth and horns emerged while it’s body grew until it stood taller than the thief himself. As he backed up from the terrifying sight, cackles arose from all around, echoing through the night and Garrett _ran_.

  


  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Run Garrett ruuunn! Don't end up being the human sacrifice! XD


	9. Spooky scary skeletons

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I pretty much brute forced my way through this prompt because no good idea came to me ~~and i dont want to be 2 days behind im sorry~~. (´д｀、)
> 
> -
> 
> Here's a link to the [prompt](https://gurobob.tumblr.com/post/165296522375/its-time-for-horrortober-ive-scraped-together-a) on tumblr.

9\. Spooky scary skeletons  
[ bones of all kinds! ]

  
**\--**

  


A crunch sounded beneath Garrett's feet and he stepped back to examine what he'd stepped on. Strewn all across the ground were _bones_. He did not want to know what kind or how they came to be since there were perfectly functioning coffins around. 

Treading carefully, he silently crept through the tomb, every little noise seemed amplified and echoed off the walls. Something scurried over his foot and he saw a small dark mass dart back into the shadows. Rats. 

He wandered further in and if it wasn't for the orange glow the torches cast off, even he would have trouble seeing in the dark. The light was sparse though, some left unlit or burned out. Someone wasn't doing their job. 

The tomb was built strangely, or rather, like a maze and Garrett only had a crudely drawn map of the place with the destination somewhere in the middle. He sighed. It hadn’t been his plan on disturbing the dead tonight, but unfortunately there was a last minute change of plans. 

After several corners and dead ends, he finally came upon a better lit area. It was an open space with four entrances including the one he came in. The room held six caskets spaced out and arranged in a circle with a pedestal in the middle. Atop the stone slab was the book he was looking for. 

As he removed the book, a loud rumble started and the floor shook violently, dust falling from the ceiling. Garrett grabbed onto the pedestal to avoid being thrown to the ground and the tremor slowly ceased, but a sound like stone grating against stone reverberated throughout the room. He looked around and saw the lids of the coffins were slid open in various degrees and skeletal figures were climbing out. Even worse, they emerged with armor and a sword and a shield clutched tightly in their grips.

Just what had he gotten himself into?

He looked back towards the door he came in, but the way was blocked by a skeleton heading his direction. Picking the best option, he quickly ran by a skeleton still emerging from their stone bed and dodged the hand that popped out, missing him by a hair.

He ran towards the doorway and the rattling behind him followed as he dashed down the poorly lit hall. He'd exited through a different way and didn't have any clue which way was correct, but so far no dead ends had appeared. 

Thankfully, only two skeletons were still on his trail, the others fell behind or had wandered off elsewhere. With only the pair left, he glanced around to see if he could hide somewhere to let them pass by. 

Spotting an alcove ahead, he quickly darted over and hauled himself up, flattening against the side. The clanking of steel and creaky bones soon passed by with neither glancing up. Soon both turned the corner and vanished from sight.

Garrett let out a breath and was about to jump down when something fell upon his shoulder and he whirled around. A torch nearby barely illuminated the back of the niche, but there lying collapsed on its side—mockingly still—was a _skeleton_.

  


  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Even tho my creativity sorta died on this prompt, I'm really looking forward to the next one lmaoo.


	10. Defamiliarize the familiar

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember how I said I was looking forward to this prompt? Well, it turned out stranger than I'd intended...
> 
> -
> 
> Here's a link to the [prompt](https://gurobob.tumblr.com/post/165296522375/its-time-for-horrortober-ive-scraped-together-a) on tumblr.

10\. Defamiliarize the familiar  
[ when something familiar is wrong ]

  
**\--**

  


Garrett woke up—peering over at the window indicated that it was sundown. He hauled himself out of bed, still sluggish and trying to blink the sleepiness away. He made his way over to the washbasin and went through his daily routine. 

It was only when he was taking inventory of his weapons and reached out for his blackjack and met nothing that he realized it was placed elsewhere. That was a bit strange since he was a creature of habit and he did not remember placing it there last, but he dismissed it. He _had_ been rather tired before he fell into bed. 

As he left the clocktower, sounds of the marketplace had already dawdled down to almost nothing—many merchants already gone with their wares and shops closed up. He ran across the wooden boards and was about to jump the short distance across the gap like usual when he paused right before it. 

A wooden plank now bisected the space and there was no need in jumping over. Garrett wondered just _when_ it was placed there because he had not seen it yesterday, although he _had_ come back to the tower from the opposite direction so he wouldn't have seen it. Well it didn't really matter anyways; he didn't have to leap across anymore, so he just walked across the plank.

He continued on his way to the Crippled Burrick and pushed past the gates, heading over to Basso’s door. He walked right in; he never knocked—there wasn’t a point since a door wasn’t about to stop him if he wanted to enter. Basso was hunched over at his desk, counting his money. He coughed to be polite, yet the other still flinched.

“Goddammit Garrett! You’re gonna give me a heart attack one of these days! Can’t you ever knock?” Basso stammered.

“I would, though I doubt you would hear over counting your gold anyways.” A smirk tugged at the thief’s lips.

Basso gave a small frown and grunted. He placed the last of the gold into the coin purse and walked over to the framed picture hung upon the wall—safe hidden behind it. Garrett stared at it; it was a different image than previously and he had _just_ been here yesterday. Why had Basso changed it so suddenly? Why had Basso changed it so suddenly?

“Why’d you change the painting?” He asked.

“Ahh, no reason really. Just gettin’ sick of the same drab picture all the time.” Basso replied slowly.

Garrett didn’t ever think Basso would’ve cared about something like that, but alright.

“So about that job we discussed the other day? You said you would have the last of the details by today.” He waited for the other to respond—telling him the best ways to get into the manor and how long the security alarms would conveniently be turned off—but the answer he received was not the one he expected.

“Uhh, oh—was that today? I actually forgot...I must be gettin’ old huh?”

He stared at Basso, watching as the older man chuckled nervously.

Garrett had been trying his best to explain all the strange things that he’d woken up to today, yet he couldn't overlook this. This was just too strange. Basso wasn’t the forgetful type and never about a job; that, he took very seriously.

A sudden bang rang out and Garrett was distracted by a familiar face—one he hadn’t seen in about a year. It was Erin. 

“Whoops, bad timing?” She gave a nonchalant shrug at Basso who’d groaned. 

Looking between both figures only confused Garrett more. There were so many questions he had, but he chose one to break the awkward silence.

“What _exactly_ is going on here?”

He backed up, wearily eyeing them both. He knew something was wrong, but _what_?

Basso took a step towards him and spoke up. 

“Nothing’s wrong. You’re just stressed and tired.”

Garrett took a step back as the other took another forward; his hackles were raised and he needed to leave _now_. Though before he could even move, something was thrown at him from Erin’s direction where he hadn’t been paying attention. 

He jumped back, narrowly avoided being hit by whatever it was; it crashed at his feet and he looked down for a split second. A glass vial had broken—a dark colored liquid had spilled out and pooled onto the ground in front of him. A foul smell then invaded his senses and he cringed, jerking back, but it was too late. 

The room began to tilt and he fell to his knees; he tried to get up again and slipped, this time he found himself lying on his side. He watched as Erin steadily approached him, a cloth around her lower face. Without warning, his eyelids grew heavy and he fought against them, eyes twitching. 

He sluggishly looked over at Basso and saw his mouth move, but it was too muffled to be heard; it seemed like cotton had been stuffed into his ears. He tried to read the lips, but all he could make out was ‘wake up’ before he slid into darkness.

  


* * *

  


**Garrett woke up—**

  


  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So as I was writing this, the part: 'A foul smell then invaded his senses and he cringed—' actually happened to me as I wrote it. It was kinda funny, but also gross. (>_<)


	11. The animals have turned

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wtf this chapter turned out so much longer than i was planning and ofc i didnt take a break so now its late and im starving (×_×#
> 
> -
> 
> Here's a link to the [prompt](https://gurobob.tumblr.com/post/165296522375/its-time-for-horrortober-ive-scraped-together-a) on tumblr.

11\. The animals have turned  
[ they used to be so cute ]

  
**\--**

  


A high-pitched screech followed by a dark shape hurled straight towards his face and he ducked. There was a thud behind him and he turned around. Lying on the ground was a crow, but why had it flew at him? The behavior stuck him as strange and the thief crouched, leaning forward to examine it. 

One wing was bent—the result of crashing into the wall—but what caught his attention was it’s eyes; they were a dark reddish-purple hue. All of a sudden, it’s body twitched and it hopped onto it’s feet—it’s bent wing attempting to flap and Garrett swore he heard the crunch of bone. It gave a caw, but the attempt was broken and the noise was guttural like it was choking. 

It’s gaze swiveled around, piercing him with it’s beady eyes and they were now a shockingly vivid red. It gave a weak hop towards him, flapped it’s wings and collapsed. This time it lied inevitably still.

  


* * *

  


After the incident with the crow, Garrett steered clear of the rooftops where they usually lingered and _any_ birds in sight. It had unnerved him and now whenever they spotted him, he wasn’t sure if their eyes would turn to crimson. 

He crept through the shadows, heading back to the clocktower. As he was about to turn a corner, a small form scurried by his foot—a larger form right behind it—and he jumped back. Was it a cat? Approaching the corner, a rather dim alley faced him. Garrett had never been afraid of the dark, but something told him to not continue and he paused.

It was a bit too dark to properly see, though the thief could tell that there was an outline hunched on the ground a short distance away. He didn’t have to struggle to see what it was when the clouds parted, sending a sliver of light down illuminating part of the back-way. It _was_ a cat and he figured it had just caught it’s prey.

He wanted to continue down the path, yet he still felt apprehension and as the cat craned its head up at his presence, he knew why. It’s eyes glowed red and it hissed, dropping the carcass of the mouse and a small pool of blood gathered around it. The cat arched its back, tail jerking from side to side, and gave a harsh snarl—red substance dripped from it’s bloody maw—as it prowled towards him. 

Garrett knew there was ladder with access to the rooftops back around the corner, but whether or not he was fast enough was the question. He didn’t want a confrontation with the deranged feline so he ran. An angry cry let loose behind him, though he did not slow his pace. As he neared the steel ladder with a conveniently placed crate below, he jumped atop it and reached up, pulling himself up the rungs as quick as he could.

A frustrated yowl broke and he shivered as he looked down, his gaze meeting red orbs glaring back at him. After a moment, the cat grew bored and slunk off—its silhouette melded with the shadows.

  


* * *

  


Garrett now added cats to the list of things to avoid. Thankfully around the city, there weren’t many to begin with even with all the rats crawling about. He was at Basso’s currently and he side-eyed Jenivere though she paid him no mind, preening herself. Deeming the magpie as safe, he relaxed a bit though he still gave her a wide berth regardless.

He chatted a bit with the fence and dropped off the loot the previous job had required and left shortly. Daybreak was imminent and he wanted to be back in the tower before the sun rose. Squawks broke out and Garrett quicken his steps, striding across the hard ground and pushed the gate open. 

The gate slid shut behind him and he caught whiff of something pungent; he pulled his mask up. A dog was marking its territory in the corner, pissing against the stone wall. He ignored it, walking right by it, intent on climbing the stack of crates to get up onto the walkway above. However he did not expect a low growl from his left and then to be thrown off balance by a sudden weight.

He lashed out as he fell, watching as the dark frame slid on the cobblestone away from him. He’d fallen on his side and it ached as he quickly got up. He watched as the dog he had passed by just seconds before snarled—it bared its teeth as it rose to its feet. Garrett groaned as its eyes were trained on him; they were undeniably red. The dog was also in the way, blocking his access to the walkway and the rooftop. 

With the open space of the market behind him, he knew it wasn’t a good idea to run, but what choice was there besides a scuffle which he did not want. He darted to the right, hoping to run towards the tower, but got cut off as the hound lunged at him. Twisting, he barely missed being bit and dashed off in the opposite direction without a backwards glance—the heavy fall of paws slapped against the solid surface. Dodging around the empty food-stalls, he racked his mind for an escape, preferably a quick one.

With the rabid stray still on his trail, he ran down the street, eyes raking the surroundings for _anything_. As if a pitying deity had heard his call, up ahead an empty cage stood by a lamplight. The metal enclosure was half-covered by shadows and had its door wide open like welcoming arms; it was ironically appropriate. What wasn’t amusing was he was losing stamina and he was sure a bruise had formed on his right side from the short fall, but he didn’t fancy being mauled to death so with a slight burn in his chest, he _ran_.

He ran and right before the cage he swore he felt the hot breath of the canine on his heel, yet he was covered from head to toe in leather. Leaping out of the way, he watched as the dog rushed right into the cage, its speed causing it to crash into the bars on the other side. Garrett quickly kicked the door shut and threw his weight against it, sliding the bolt into place. Instantly, the trapped hound went berserk and rammed its body into the bars over and over, its intense ruby-red eyes burning into Garrett’s. 

The thief straightened and ripped his mask off, taking in deep breaths until the crushing feeling in his lungs faded and only a small throbbing persisted in his side. The dog let loose a series of earsplitting howls and Garrett flinched. He was glad he was indifferent towards animals because after all this trouble with them, he _never_ wanted a pet no matter what Basso or Erin said. 

Slinking off into the faint shadows—the sun was just about to rise—he left the mutt behind for no doubt the guards to find and deal with. All he wanted now was to be back in the clocktower where he was safe—that is, safe from vicious red-eyed creatures.

  


  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \--BUT, i really liked how this prompt turned out. Anyways, I'll fix any mistakes after I eat or whatever. Bye.


	12. Cleansing flame

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This prompt gave me the **hardest** time arghhh *rips hair out*
> 
> -
> 
> Here's a link to the [prompt](https://gurobob.tumblr.com/post/165296522375/its-time-for-horrortober-ive-scraped-together-a) on tumblr.

12\. Cleansing flame  
[ the beginning requires an end ]

  
**\--**

  


“Erin, could you hurry it up?!” He needed to save his breath and focus on running, but his stamina was starting to falter.

“I’m trying, but whoever wrote this book writes like the blind!”

He groaned internally, continuing to run and dodge every attack the entity threw at him. It looked to be getting angrier with each failed attempt if the shadows that darkened around it was any indication. The evil spirit had a vaguely humanoid shape, yet it was hard to tell when its silhouette seemed to shift to another, but molded right back like it was too weak to change to a different form.

“I’ve got it! Its weakness is fire!” Erin said excitedly.

_About time._

No wonder it had left Erin alone since she had the lantern as well as the book. The warehouse they were in was dark, but part of the roof was missing and moonlight partially fled in through that and the windows. 

He gave her a brief glance before ducking behind a crate and then swiftly moved behind another—the previous taking the brunt of the blow from the enemy and splintered open. Garrett breathed in deeply, trying to catch his breath while watching the entity mill about, searching for him no doubt.

“Garrett, I need you to lure it to me!”

He was reluctant to leave his hiding spot, but the sooner they got rid of this evil spirit the better. He peered around the box towards the direction of Erin’s voice. It wasn’t that great of a distance and the entity was only getting closer, so with a firm push off the crate, he dashed straight towards Erin praying she knew what she was doing. 

The creature was silent so he gave a quick look to make sure it was following him and it _was_ —only a few paces separated them; its presence looming over him. With chills running down his spine he turned back around to catch sight of Erin holding the lantern in one hand getting ready to launch it. From this distance, Garrett knew it was still a bit too far and the throw would miss its mark so with the last of his energy, he sprinted.

“Throw it now!” Garrett gasped out and ducked, rolling forwards.

Erin aimed and threw the light at the dark spirit—the lantern crashed right in its center and the glass shattered; it caught on fire like a flame to parchment. Letting out a piercing shriek, it finally made a sound and the two thieves flinched, slapping their hands over their ears tightly. The flame had been small—slowly licking up the twisted form—but now it steadily consumed it whole. 

Even though it was lit up, it struggled to move towards Garrett still on the ground and he watched as it fell down—one arm outstretched, reaching for him. He clambered away on his knees, hands still trying to block out its screeching—he could feel the sweltering heat against his back and when he thought he would be burned, the heat suddenly vanished along with the jarring cry. 

“Garrett!” Erin rushed over to him.

He felt hands upon him, struggling to pull him up and he relented, getting to his feet with the help. He looked behind him and was surprised by what he saw. The entity was still on fire, but the flames were blue now and it no longer seemed to be in pain. Its features could finally be seen clearly as it took the form of a young lady clad in white. She gave him a small smile and a wave before her form dispersed, a swirling white mist ascended until it disappeared from view beyond the roof.

Garrett and Erin looked at each other, adrenaline no longer pumping through their veins and they sagged against the nearby crates. Relief filled their eyes though a silent question was left unspoken: would anyone even believe what had happened?

They looked at the only remaining proof; lying on the ground was the broken lantern.

  


  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> aLSO *runs off to play Thief instead of being productive*


	13. Dripping blood

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I usually listen to a playlist I made specifically for writing these prompts and the Outlast soundtrack popped up while writing this one so that's why it turned out this way.
> 
> -
> 
> Here's a link to the [prompt](https://gurobob.tumblr.com/post/165296522375/its-time-for-horrortober-ive-scraped-together-a) on tumblr.

13\. Dripping blood  
[ just a little, or a lot? ]

  
**\--**

  


The stench from the meat was so strong that Garrett had to breathe through his mouth, the metallic tang permeated the air so heavily that he wanted to gag. He avoided the hooks and bodies best that he could, steps light in the eerie silence of the slaughterhouse. All around him, the meat hung fresh and pink, some still slick with blood—the red dripping off the carcasses forming small puddles beneath.

He absolutely did _not_ want to stay here any longer. While the lunatic was searching for him, he was desperately searching for the exit. He needed to escape before they found him or worse—trapped him—since he was stripped of all his weapons and tools, even his leather, leaving him only in his threadbare shirt and trousers. Fear of being found so helpless urged him to move forward as noiselessly as he could, not wanting to alert the other of his presence _at all_.

As he ventured further in, the room got more crowded with less empty hooks and Garrett had to touch the dead animals, nudging them aside with a grimace at the stain and cold sticky feeling they left behind. He couldn’t help the revulsion that ran through him at each touch, but he controlled his urge to immediately wipe the mess away, there was no time for that right now.

Clear drops of liquid ice seeped into his shirt, chilling his skin where it touched and he looked up. It was rather cold in the room and the water dripped from the ceiling. Soon he heard a pitter-patter staccato and watched as constant drops fell on him, adding to the discomfort; it must be raining outside. Ignoring the goose-flesh all over, he continued moving, quicker this time since the rain hitting the roof masked his footfalls a bit. 

He was mindful of where he stepped, his feet were bare and he wanted to avoid stepping in any fluids on the blood-smeared floor. His stomach clenched as he thought about the slimy wetness touching the sole of his feet. A loud crack rumbled throughout the building, disturbing the otherwise mostly silent environment around. It caused Garrett to jerk violently and stumble forward, hands slapping upon the dirty floor and slight pain radiated up a knee. A groan fell past his lips as another crack rang out, quieter this time. Damn thunder. 

Coldness touched his hands and he brought them up to inspect. A crimson color filled his vision and he wiped them frantically on his pants—a pink smudge was still left behind. The hairs on the back of his neck raised suddenly at a light, but unwelcome touch. He swiped at his neck and wetness settled on his fingertips. Once again, his hand was stained red and he promptly looked up and recoiled, falling backwards this time. Hanging from the ceiling was a body; stripped of its outer skin it was a bloody mess, yet its silhouette was _familiar_ , it was unmistakably... _human_. 

Garrett froze in shock and gasped, eyes averting from the gruesome sight as rich copper filling his senses. Although he was no longer looking, the image was burned into his mind and he could feel the bile start to rise. He quickly took shaky, but deep breaths in and out and managed to dispel the urge to retch. He knew he had to get moving so he slowly rose to his feet; they made a squelching noise and he shuddered at the feeling and the thought of just _what_ it was. 

A loud bang echoed and he tensed; it hadn’t been thunder this time. Coals seemed to fill the pit of his stomach and burned within as a cold and mocking voice called out. 

“Ohh daarlinggg, where have you gone? I _know_ you’re still here.”

Garrett’s breath caught in his throat. He had to get out _now_.

  


  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay I couldn't _resist_ throwing in an Outlast/Eddie reference in there. ~~Sorry not sorry.~~


	14. Best start believin’ in ghost stories

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wellll, apparently this is like a direct sequel to the [third prompt ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12245451/chapters/27861381) I did. And jeez, I like developed my own damn backstory in my head that if I ever wanted to write it out, I could. XD
> 
> -
> 
> Here's a link to the [prompt](https://gurobob.tumblr.com/post/165296522375/its-time-for-horrortober-ive-scraped-together-a) on tumblr.

14\. Best start believin’ in ghost stories  
[ unfinished business, they say ]

  
**\--**

  


“Do you believe in ghosts Garrett?” Erin asked quietly.

“No.”

“Have you ever _seen_ a ghost?” She tried again.

Garrett sighed and finally looked over at her. “Have _you_?”

She stiffened a bit and crossed her arms, leaning back in the chair while avoiding his eyes. He wasn’t sure if he should prod further when Basso chuckled and said, “Since we’ve got nothin’ to do, I’ve got a ghost story to tell.”

“This isn’t the one about the haunted cathedral is it? We’ve all heard that one before.” He replied wearily. He muffled a yawn. He didn’t care about ghost stories and was about to get up and leave when the other said in a hushed tone. “It’s actually about the place you two went yesterday.”

At that, Garrett and Erin both looked at each other, one with a tense expression and the other with an unsettled look. 

“You sent us somewhere haunted and _didn’t_ tell us?!” Erin hissed.

“Hey now, it’s _just_ a ghost story. Besides, I only heard about it this mornin’ myself.” The fence gave the two a questioning glance. “You wanna hear it or not?”

Garrett was about to say no when Erin spoke up. “Yes.” Though her face said the opposite.

“You sure kiddo? You don’t look so well.” 

She straightened in her chair, sitting on the edge with eyes wide, almost pleading. “Just tell us!”

“Alright, alright sheesh.”

He made himself comfortable behind his desk and began. 

“Well from what I heard, the manor you went to used to belong to the Blackwell family and they were both originally from wealthy families before marriage, so they were loaded. Speaking of, was there _really_ no hidden treasure there?” 

“Like I told you Basso, we didn’t find anything.” Garrett said tiredly, another yawn threatening to break and he leaned back against the wall.

“Anyways, they were well off and happy until the guys’ wife died of illness and he was left with a daughter to raise single-handedly. People said the daughter was a cheerful child, but after her mother’s death, she became withdrawn while the father often got drunk. But he remarried shortly afterwards and his second wife had two children of her own already, a daughter and a son. Obviously she married him for the money though he was too smitten with her regardless of what his extended family told him.”

He took a sip of his mug and continued. 

“So, they lived together in that manor and one day, the step-sister suddenly died, no explanations whatsoever and authorities were hushed about the whole incident—most likely bribed, the damn rich. Also at that time, the other daughter was put into the asylum, apparently she had traumatic fits from what happened. Although a servant that worked there later said that the girl had been stabbed to death and claimed that they had cleaned up the mess and that there had been so much blood it had bled through the carpet onto the floorboards beneath. And if you went there in the room where she had died, that there would still be a dark stain upon the wooden floor.” 

At that statement, a squeak came from the scraping of a chair and Basso and Garrett looked over in Erin’s direction. Her face was pale as a sheet and the latter noticed her knuckles were just as pale, tightly gripping the seat she was perched rigidly atop. 

“You alright Erin? This is uh, just a rumor. Heck, it might not even be true.” The older man said with a slight chuckle. “If it makes you uncomfortable, I’ll stop.”

She looked down, her hands unclenching from the the sides of the chair, clasping them together instead and murmured, “Yeah...of course. You can continue.”

He quickly caught Garrett’s eyes and he shrugged as the other man frowned before giving a small nod. “If you say so.” He cleared his throat.

“Where was I? Oh–so there was no _actual_ proof about how the girl had died since the body was supposedly buried before anyone could examine it. Well then they held a funeral for the poor girl and after a while, the other daughter was released from the asylum. I don’t know how she convinced them to let her go—connections maybe—since they _never_ let anyone out. Anyhow, a week after she was out, the step-mother who allegedly hated the girl was, what do you know, dead. According to another servant, she’d been arguing with the daughter by the staircase when the girl pushed her and she’d fallen from the top and broke her neck during the fall.”

Garrett grimaced and shifted against the cold hard wall. He was no longer tired thanks to this rather morbid ghost story. Erin still wasn’t looking any better, but he knew better than to tell Basso to stop, lest she get angry at him. 

“After two deaths in that house, you’d think there wouldn’t be another—not so soon at least—but the very next mornin', the man’s own daughter had hung herself in the front yard...where did they say again? Oh right, from the tree out front.” 

Garrett’s heart raced. He hadn’t told anyone about what he saw as the gate had closed, but with what Basso had just said—even if it wasn’t all true— _something_ was. 

“After facing that many atrocities in that house, people say the man went mad, yet no one knows what happened to him afterwards. And the only remaining member was the son who was the heir since he was the only male left. Actually, no one knows what happened to him either. Most likely left the manor and everything behind, the poor lad. I know I would. And to this very day, some say if you enter the building after sundown, you’d encounter the ghosts of the deceased there, since unfinished business and all.”

Basso shrugged and sat up, cracking his joints. “Well, that’s the ghost story of the Blackwell Manor—or so, as far as rumors go. Not sure if it’s true, but _I_ wouldn’t step foot in that house. Say, did anythin' happen yesterday at the manor eh?” He snickered amusedly to himself.

Once again Garrett’s gaze flickered over to Erin who was staring back at him, eyes wide. 

He didn’t want to, but he was afraid that he was going to start believing in ghost stories from now on.

  


  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so while writing this prompt, there was a loud sound like a 'crack' that rang out in the kitchen behind me and it was weird and since im not easily frightened, i checked it out but i still dont know wtf it was ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯


	15. The chase scene

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So for this prompt I had two ways to go about it and I picked the non-scary one lol.
> 
> -
> 
> Here's a link to the [prompt](https://gurobob.tumblr.com/post/165296522375/its-time-for-horrortober-ive-scraped-together-a) on tumblr.

15\. The chase scene  
[ hard to draw, but so important ]

  
**\--**

  


Garrett was being watched. He could feel the pair of eyes examining him, burning into him—with what intent, he wasn't too sure, but he didn’t like being seen when he didn’t chose to be. The alcove he was no longer hidden in had never failed him before, though he supposed he had to abandon it now. He slipped away from the nook and walked down the shadowed alleyway behind. He peered over his shoulder as he did so and soon saw a silhouette appear—he wasn't going to be _that_ easy to follow. 

He knew the city like the back of his hand, _especially_ the back-ways and he knew how to hide—to disappear when he wanted. With nimble steps, he walked through a few backstreets and once he figured the other had gotten lost or otherwise, he stopped. Yet around the back corner, a shadowy figure came into view and Garrett frowned. Usually they gave up after chasing him through the maze-like passageways, but a few did manage to keep up with him and _those_ pursuers were trouble. It was time to head for the roofs.

__

He scanned his surroundings and spotted a few crates near the side of the building. Jumping atop them, he scaled the side of the short wall and pulled himself up onto the roof. Giving a backwards glance, the figure was now halfway down the alley and they seemed to have picked up their pace as well. Garrett turned and fled, steps quick and silent across the rooftop while another set soon followed—heavier, but just as fast. Nobody had ever willingly chased him up to the rooftops—it was dangerous for anyone not familiar with them. Whoever was chasing him must be really desperate—the sum on the reward posters scattered around amused the thief. He could easily _steal_ that much and more, if he so wished.

He couldn’t help the bit of excitement that rose within him—he was rather curious about who it was chasing him, but not enough to let them catch him. He upped his pace and leapt the short distance across onto the next roof and continued running as the mysterious figure easily matched his pace not far behind. It was evening, the sun just barely setting and he knew being out in the open was only going to paint him as a moving target at this short range—he either needed to hide or lengthen the distance between them since whoever was tailing him didn’t seem to be having a hard time keeping up _at all_. 

Up ahead, he knew there was a rather large gap separating the two buildings—it forced one to have to go around, travelling over two roofs instead of one. Garrett however, had the advantage of a grappling hook so he ran towards the edge and threw the hook as hard as he could at a wooden perch that jutted out. He gave a tug and the rope grew taut as the hook held, embedded into the beam. Taking in a deep breath and then exhaling, he didn’t hesitate and stepped off the roof. The air rushed past as he briefly fell before the rope he tightly clenched in his hands propelled him forwards, the momentum pushing him towards the side of the opposite building. As he neared the wall, he slowed his approach by running sideways along the surface and then quickly climbed the rope until he was perched atop the beam.

He looked over and the figure was standing at the ledge, too far to reach him, but close enough for Garrett to actually study them. Peering through the last rays of the sun, they were half-shaded and he could see that they were hooded and masked like himself, but unlike him, their strange mask hid their entire face. They stood stock still and although their features were hidden, Garrett _knew_ they were looking right at him, the same intense gaze boring into him. He broke the stare and yanked the metal hook out, pulling himself up and over onto the roof. Turning around, he watched the other and wondered what they would decide to do. Would they continue to pursue him or finally give up? What they did completely surprised him though—they suddenly vanished in the blink of an eye. 

There was no way anyone could just disappear into thin air while they had definitely been visible one instant with no cover in sight—Garrett was good, but even _he_ couldn’t do that—it just wasn’t feasible. Trepidation slid down his spine and he cast his eyes about warily, stepping away from the edge. At the corner of his eye, a faint mist appeared and then shadowy pieces seemed to fuse together into one solid form—it was the masked figure. Whatever powers this stranger possessed, it was beyond anything the thief had seen before and he wanted no part of it, so once again, he ran. 

Clearly, the other would be able to catch up to him, but Garrett didn’t survive merely by escaping from others; this time he’d hide. He ran towards the next roof and the next and continued until he got to one low enough to the ground and once again returned back to the now darker streets below. If the rooftops weren’t going to help him, the shadows would—right? He shook his doubts away and moved swiftly, the sound of footsteps behind were unwelcoming to his ears. Keeping to the shadows, his gait was brisk, but soundless compared to the footfalls that followed—they were like warning bells to Garrett and he needed to get away from the danger they rang out.

Every corner he turned, he could still see the dark figure from his peripheral vision stalking him. He needed to lose them _now_. Up ahead would be two paths: the left lead to an open well-lit area usually occupied with guards and an occasion drunk and the second was a dead end—a small courtyard with a statue of a praying figure. He chose the right. What maybe no one else but Garrett knew of was that there was a hidden space behind the statue’s back. It was a perfect hiding spot since it faced the wall with not much space between either. He had came upon it by pure accident and found that many went to pray and tell the stone figure their woes and secrets.

He crept down the path, leaving his pursuer behind at the fork, hopefully stumping the other. Perhaps they’d pick the wrong option and he'll be free from the other. Regardless of what they chose, he strode past the archway into the courtyard and headed straight towards the statute. Squeezing into the narrow space, he nimbly climbed into the back of the figure, settling into the hollow recess and then he _waited_. From this position, he couldn’t see anything but the wall, so he had to rely on his hearing. Straining his ears to catch any noise—faint or loud—it felt like too long had passed till he finally _did_ hear something—footsteps wandering into the dead end. 

It was now time to play the waiting game and Garrett was patient. He didn't move a single muscle as he held tense against the smooth stone and his breaths were shallow and near inaudible to be detected. The steps stopped shortly and Garrett knew all they could see was the statue in a blind alley, absolutely nowhere to go or seemingly _hide_. After awhile, the footsteps picked up again and instead of growing fainter, they were louder as they headed closer towards him. The shadows were darker behind the statue so he wasn’t afraid of being seen, but even so, he pressed further into the hidden alcove as if he could meld with the stone and unintentionally held his breath. 

Judging from the steps, the other should be right in front of the statue now, most likely examining it. There wasn’t anything particularly interesting about it—besides the hiding spot he was currently occupying—so he was expecting them to leave soon. After what seemed to be a prolonged stretch of silence, the footsteps came again, this time softer and eventually they were too far-off to be properly heard and he breathed out slowly. He stayed in his position a bit longer—caution was deeply rooted—before he eased himself from his perch. He peered around the statue and saw nothing—it was dark and quiet, the only source of light was a torch that flickered weakly by the entrance.

Garrett sighed and his shoulders loosened as the adrenaline wore off. He moved away from the stone figure and right as he stepped into the dim lighting, he felt a shift in the air right behind him. Whirling around, he was forced to look up as the light cast a warm glow onto contrasting cold metal—movement flickered behind the eye lenses and the gaping maw was held together haphazardly—it was his pursuer.

  


  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sooo does anyone ship corvo/garrett? *inserts shameless self-plug* heres a halloween themed [ficlet](https://archiveofourown.org/works/5107388) i wrote 2 years ago if you're interested. XD


	16. What are they eating…?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Will I ever catch up with these prompts? Probably not, but I _will_ finish these regardless. 
> 
> -
> 
> Here's a link to the [prompt](https://gurobob.tumblr.com/post/165296522375/its-time-for-horrortober-ive-scraped-together-a) on tumblr.

16\. What are they eating…?  
[ the mediterranean dip is people! ]

  
**\--**

  


The smell was strange, off putting to say the least and the consistency was lumpy like the stew hadn't been cooked long enough, or maybe it was for the texture seeing as the broth was rather watery. There was absolutely _no way_ that Garrett was going to eat this foul concoction even if he was starving, though nobody else seemed to mind it. In fact, he watched as everyone devoured it with relish, nearly licking their utensils and bowls clean. He shuddered and looked away, the sight was making his stomach churn and he felt sickened.

With his appetite gone, he hastily left the dining hall and was about to leave altogether when a awful smell assaulted his senses and he scrunched his nose as if that would help get rid of it—it did not. This scent was rotten, like spoiled meat with a peculiar underlying taint that he could not quite place. The smell emanated from a nearby room and he held his breath, exhaling through his mouth instead as he got nearer. Giving a quick look around showed nobody in the vicinity, so he cracked opened the door a bit and peered into the room. 

It was dim—lit up with only a meager light source, a lantern which hung by the door—so there wasn't more than just dark shapes and shadows to make out. He wasn't sure if he was curious enough to want to know what was stored in this room since the smell was very strong here. As he debated, a sudden noise caught his attention—it was the heavy thud of footsteps and they sounded close by. He quickly opened the door just wide enough for him to squeeze through and slipped inside, gently shutting the door behind as to not alert anyone to his presence since he wasn't exactly supposed to be wandering around. 

He listened intently and the footsteps came closer and closer and then a shadow fell across the light peeking in at the bottom of the door. Unfortunately, the shadow didn’t move on and the heavy steps stopped right outside the door. The room was too dark to see if there was a better hiding spot, but pushed up against the wall was a table with a few boxes beneath it, so he ducked under it and hid behind a crate right as the door opened. 

Light tried to flood in, but a figure blocked it as they walked inside and shut the door. From where he hid, Garrett watched as the man unhooked the lantern from the opposite wall and started walking towards the back. The other was bulky and had on a dirty apron with a rusty stain caked upon it. As they walked further towards the back, Garrett followed silently, sticking close to the shadows. The man stopped after passing a few storage shelves and picked a butcher knife off the wall where several other knives hung. They then walked over to a pile of red meat atop a bloody table and began hacking away at it. With the man's back turned towards him, he stepped as close as he could without being seen and gave a proper look around. He wish he didn’t.

What his eyes met was _horrific_ —it was almost too much to process all at once and he almost gasped out loud. There in heaps on the ground and wooden surfaces were human bodies strewn about, limbs sprawled and limp. The expanse of naked flesh was a pallid gray color and mottled with dark splotches here and there. He looked from pile to pile and found mangled faces staring back at him with frozen and slack expressions. He moved back, deeper in the shadows when the butcher grunted, finished with his task and ambled over to a random pile to heave a body up and over to their workbench.

Garrett turned away and watched the shadow of the man instead, arms raised and then fell as the blade ate into flesh with a squelch. He was beyond repulsed and he couldn't stand to see what was happening anymore than what he'd already seen. As he left the atrocious scene behind, he was glad he didn't eat the stew.

  


  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i can't believe next week is alrdy halloween what the heck


	17. Lost in space

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For this prompt I didn't actually want to write about space sooo, here we have another Thief/Dishonored crossover instead, bcuz the Void is close enough and Garrett is lost, but he isn't screaming whoops.
> 
> -
> 
> Here's a link to the [prompt](https://gurobob.tumblr.com/post/165296522375/its-time-for-horrortober-ive-scraped-together-a) on tumblr.

17\. Lost in space  
[ no one can hear you scream ]

  
**\--**

  


_Where am I?_

The environment was vast and endless as far as the eye could see—the skies were blue like the early morning right before sunrise, but there was no sun hung overhead. The land mass was broken up and scattered, floating in place in mid-air and the silhouette of a giant creature passed by in the distance, a deep but soothing call rang out. 

The last thing he'd done was go to bed and now he had woken up here, in this calm, but strange place. The small island he stood on was isolated from everything else with no way off except down, into the abyss. The only thing noteworthy was a shrine of some sort with purple drapes suspended around, rippling slightly from a still breeze that he could not feel and something sat atop the three-legged stand.

With nowhere else to go, Garrett walked towards the shrine and stopped before it, examining what lay across the wooden surface. A black mist hovered around it, drawing his eye to the object. It was oval-shaped and ivory colored—made of bone perhaps—etched with an unfamiliar rune. Metal clamps gripped onto its rounded edges with loops on the ends like it was once hung up somewhere. A fracture ran across the right bottom of the surface, deep enough that it seemed like it wouldn’t hold together, but somehow it did. 

He reached out towards the bone rune and watched as tendrils separated from the dark cloud and before he could react, they caressed his hand and then dispersed—the mist had been surprisingly warm. Suddenly a dark fog appeared, distorting the space above the shrine and he stepped back to see the figure of a young man materialize, but their eyes said otherwise—they were black and ageless and peered right into his soul.

“Hello Garrett, so we finally meet. You would not know me, though I have watched you from time to time, yet it seems the plans I had in store for you were not meant to be, as you’ve already been Marked by another—an accident at that—but no matter. Bringing you here to the Void was merely a whim of mine since you’ve been associating with Corvo who last caught my eye.”

 _Of course this being knew Attano._

He refrained from rolling his eyes. He still wasn’t sure if this deity or other was friendly or not. Both dangerous and annoying things tended to follow the other man and Garrett always seemed to get caught up in them when he hung around and now it would seem another thing was to be added to the list.

“So you’re saying you brought me here because you were bored? Should I tell Attano to give you a visit then?” Garrett said bluntly, throwing all caution to the wind and he couldn’t even blame it on just how tired he was.

The other’s lip quirked upwards and a low chuckle escaped. “This is what amuses me—you unafraid in the face of the unknown and the ability to respond to me unlike the others—it’s rather a shame you cannot carry my Mark. Nonetheless, your destiny will be one of interesting twists and turns now that you’ve joined with Corvo, though a word of advice: much darker things lurk in the shadows you claim as yours—be careful where you step lest you get bitten. Whether or not you take heed of my warning does not matter to me, only know that I’ll be watching however this scene unfolds until the very end. Good night Garrett.”

He felt a wave of drowsiness hit him then and his eyes slowly closed no matter how hard he tried to keep them open. Darkness surrounded him and right before he slipped off into unconsciousness, he heard the other speak once more.

“If you ever want to chat, just summon me by name. I am known as the _Outsider_.”

  


  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so i love the alien franchise and i was going to write a thief/alien crossover bcuz of the tagline for the first alien movie (which is pretty much this prompt) but i decided it was too hard and bcuz im lazy—sorry. buuut, i also liked writing this small interaction between garrett and the outsider a lot. :D


	18. It’s so dark underground

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a drabble for this prompt cuz I'm tired, but I get a day off tomorrow so heck yeah!
> 
> -
> 
> Here's a link to the [prompt](https://gurobob.tumblr.com/post/165296522375/its-time-for-horrortober-ive-scraped-together-a) on tumblr.

18\. It’s so dark underground  
[ from caves to coffins to a too-early burial ]

  
**\--**

  


The cave was stuffy and humid, making Garrett feel uncomfortable—the moisture forming between the leather and his skin causing it to stick annoyingly. He'd found a map to this place on his last job, so he decided to check it out and he'd found some gold so far. It looked like this cave had once been used for mining, but what puzzled Garrett was why it seemed as if the miners had up and left with their tools and equipment still lying around, as well as the loot, yet he wasn't going to complain about that. It just struck the thief as rather strange behavior. 

He soon neared the back of the cave—it wasn't very spacious, but it led deep in and he looked back towards the entrance only to find it as big as his thumbnail. Holding the lantern up higher, he looked around and found a large piece of leather tarp draped across something. Tugging at the sheet revealed a huge chest beneath it, a few dark stains upon it and locked. Garrett set the lantern down on a crate nearby and made quick work of the lock, it metal was thick and heavy in his hand and he placed it next to the light.

Cracking the lid open, an unpleasant odor drifted out and he recoiled, making a face at the smell. It was more than just stale air, it was like something had died in there. Now that he expected it, Garrett lifted the lid and pushed it back, but what he did not expect was for his random conjecture to be true. What lay within the chest was the body of a man, or the remains of one at least. 

Their skin was all wrinkly and dry, complexion the color of faded parchment and their fingernails were chipped and broken or entirely missing. He looked back at the lid and there were deep scratch marks engraved in the wooden interior. The worst part was their face—mouth open in a silent scream and eyes wide—their expression was one of pure terror at being left alive to slowly die. He couldn’t fathom why anyone would do that and he didn’t want to know why either. 

Slamming the lid shut, he quickly locked the chest and grabbed the lantern, ready to leave. He had found more than he’d wanted today and Garrett would be wary of locked chests in the future now. He walked towards the entrance and left everything behind to lay undisturbed in the darkness once again.

  


  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ah man, the line that goes: '–their expression was one of pure terror at being left alive to slowly die' i _reaallly_ wanted to say left for dead to reference the video game left 4 dead but it sounded better as it is dammit XD


	19. CHAINSAW

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Instead of writing about 'chainsaws', I changed it because I can lol.
> 
> -
> 
> Here's a link to the [prompt](https://gurobob.tumblr.com/post/165296522375/its-time-for-horrortober-ive-scraped-together-a) on tumblr.

19\. CHAINSAW  
[ BRRRRREEEOOOWWW! ]

  
**\--**

  


The saw was coming closer and closer towards Garrett and he struggled against the bonds, trying to loosen them though they held too tightly and he could feel panic seeping in. The blade spun rapidly, the sharp edges were only a dull blur to the eyes, but he knew better and that the metal would cut into flesh like a blade through paper. He looked around, frantically searching for anything that would either help him get free or stop the machine. The controls for the torture device were much too far of a distance to deactivate and all his tools taunted him from a table just out of his reach. 

He eyes flickered back to the saw and it was much closer than before—it seemed this was one predicament he might not get out of. Being strapped down with his movement limited like a sitting duck frustrated him as much as the fear that seized and held him in place did. The last thing he remembered was the shock on Erin’s face as pain bloomed across the back of his head and he hoped the other had managed to evade capture.

He didn’t want to lose hope that he could escape—it was a dangerous thing to keep, yet he did hold a small spark of it—but the chances were very low if any at all. However, there had to be something he could do so he swept his gaze across the room again, not overlooking anything no matter how insignificant. As he felt the creeping sensation of despair claw at him, he thrashed harder and his fingertips brushed against something cold—the razor. Whoever had stripped him of his equipment did not do a thorough job and hope rushed through him.

Although it was a razor, it wasn’t too sharp since he only used it to remove the artwork from its frame, but it’d do and he struggled to pull it out. After what felt like several long minutes which he did not have, he finally got it within his grasp and held it tightly lest he drop it. Carefully flipping it around and sliding the sharp side facing the leather band, he cut through them as quickly as possible while keeping a close eye on the ever closing saw—it was awfully close now, but so was he to freedom. 

Working through the bonds, he was onto the third strap holding his thighs down when the blade was about a spread hand’s width away and there was still the band holding his lower legs left. There was no way he’d get to that in time so he threw himself sideways, hanging off the side of the table he’d been lying on as the sharp edge of the saw nicked his upper arm and then bore down on the wooden surface behind him. 

Lying limp and upside down in slight pain and disbelief, Garrett's rapid heartbeat gradually slowed to a steadier pace. Mindful of where he moved, he pushed himself up and winced, his wound was deeper than he’d thought it was. It stung and he watched as blood trickled from the jagged cut. The saw was still spinning in place, it’s extent only reached the table and not further, a splinter of wood lied right where he would’ve. 

He made quick work of the last strap and freed himself. Hurriedly patching himself up, albeit a bit sloppily, he gathered his tools and weapons and turned off the machine—he couldn’t stand the sound of the blade anymore. He wasn’t sure if Erin had been captured or not, but if she was, then she would most likely need his help and quickly. Regardless, he needed to be certain so he cracked the door open and sneaked off in search of the other.

  


  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so i was tryin to figure out how to get garrett out of deep shit and i nearly thought i was gonna hav to kill him or hav erin save him but good thing i remembered he has a razor ahahah...im kidding i wouldnt hav rly killed him off—hes too precious <3


	20. Dark magic

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So instead of writing about wizards and other common magic-users, I just wrote about the Keepers because ~~it was easier~~ why not?
> 
> -
> 
> Here's a link to the [prompt](https://gurobob.tumblr.com/post/165296522375/its-time-for-horrortober-ive-scraped-together-a) on tumblr.

20\. Dark magic  
[ wizards, witches, and warlocks, oh crap ]

  
**\--**

  


_Magic. Of course._

Garrett had never cared much for it; didn't really have the knack for it either unlike his thieving skills which he took to quickly and efficiently. Yet he could feel there was something different about this magic: it felt heavy and draining—it was dark magic and there was a lot of it. The energy seemed to pulsate through him and threatened to drown him at the same time the closer he got. His steps felt weighed—pace slow and unsteady—while his body was sluggish like he was attempting to move underwater. Honestly, this was the last place he wanted to be, but he’d been caught up in this mess with the Keepers and whether or not he wanted to help, he really had no choice.

Struggling to move, he was almost upon the podium in the center of the Keeper library where the portal was gradually getting wider and he swore he could hear maniacal laughter from it. He needed to get to it before it opened wide enough for something worse to escape. Everyone else was too preoccupied fighting off a few creatures that had managed to slip out and the scribe who had summoned the portal in the first place was lying dead besides it. Garrett gathered that the fool had either skimmed over or hadn’t read the part where activating the portal killed the caster, but good riddance, because now they had one less trouble to deal with. 

Horrendous and pained human cries rang out around him in the midst of the chaos—he was only a few paces away from the evil book, the runes aglow on the open pages. A dark shape wandered into view—dimming the harsh orange light peeking through—in the portal above, thick black claws grasping at the edges of the opening as if to rip it even more. Garrett wasn’t about to let that happen if he could do anything about it. Ignoring the heat blowing against him, he reached out with his right hand, stretching as far as his fingertips could reach.

The sharp claws emerged further—slowly tearing the gap—exposing the rough darkened hide of the back of its hand. He caught a glimpse of a piercing red gaze and faltered under the malicious intent rolling off the demon. The barrier still held, but barely and the vicious grin the creature gave him snapped Garrett out of his paralyzed state. Right as the demon raised its other hand to shred the remnants of the flimsy veil, Garrett threw himself at the podium and slammed the book shut.

A loud roar resonated throughout the room, joined in by howls and wailing creating one unearthly chorus, deafening the thief and everyone in the vicinity for a few moments before it ceased along with a bright flash of light. Garrett shielded his eyes until the dim lighting of the library came back and looked over at the book lying innocently upon the podium. He was sure the council would only lock it up, claiming it was dangerous, but too valuable to destroy. For him, he wouldn’t hesitate to burn it, lest some other imbecile decided to do something far worse. 

Giving a quick glance around, he snatched the book off the stand and disappeared into the shadows—no doubt the council wouldn’t be pleased about his lone decision, but when did he ever listen to them anyways. Really, he should be thanked, but he wasn’t going to hold his breath—he smirked as he left the Keeper compound behind, vanishing into the night.

  


  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *goes play more thief*


	21. Try the gun

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since there are guns in Dishonored, guess what? Here's another Thief/Dishonored chapter. XD
> 
> -
> 
> Here's a link to the [prompt](https://gurobob.tumblr.com/post/165296522375/its-time-for-horrortober-ive-scraped-together-a) on tumblr.

21\. Try the gun  
[ sometimes scary can be so simple ]

  
**\--**

  


“Would you like to see it?” Corvo asked, holding out his weapon to Garrett. 

Curious, he'd asked the other what the weapon they carried was. He'd never seen him use it before and there was nothing like that where he was from. Taking it from the other, he held it with both hands—the metal was cold and smooth to the touch—examining it with great interest as he turned it from side to side. 

“It's a gun. You load it with ammunition and then you shoot your target with it. If you run out of ammo, you just reload it with more.” 

It sounded similar to his weapon of choice—a bow and arrows—so how was it different then?

His question must've showed on his face because Corvo chuckled and indicated for him to hand the gun back. Garrett watched as he pulled aside a piece and a part opened, revealing six slots with half of them empty and three small metal objects were inserted. Popping the part back in with a soft click, Corvo held the gun with a tight grip. 

“Hold the gun firmly and finger off the trigger until you want to shoot, then you apply pressure to it. Never point the gun at something or someone you aren't willing to shoot.”

He watched the other look around before gesturing off to the side where an empty glass bottle stood on a ledge a short distance away. The other’s stance straightened and held the weapon up, lining the shot up nice and steady before a loud boom sounded and he heard glass shattering right after. 

“It's rather loud.” Garrett didn't like that. He relied on stealth so that would defeat his purpose. 

“It is. If I don’t have the need for stealth, this works better since it’s quite powerful and when they do hear it, it’s often too late.” Corvo replied with a lopsided grin. 

“Of course.” Garrett said dryly. 

He’d sometimes forget the other was an assassin—a skilled one if the wanted posters around were any indication—but when he remembered, he was glad that they were on the same side. Otherwise, Garrett would need to be more careful about what lurked in the shadows. Since it was getting late, they both decided to head back towards the hideout, though after a short while, Garrett could feel a pair of eyes on them and walked closer to the other to tell him so, yet Corvo beat him to it.

“I know, we’re being followed. They’re one of Daud’s men—a Whaler—so we’ll have to shake them off.” The ‘or kill them’ was left unspoken, but Garrett heard it loud and clear. 

He didn't like killing; for him it was a last resort and even then, he hesitated and unfortunately sometimes that cost him. Now if they could just lose their pursuer, nobody would get hurt. He and Corvo quicken their pace and walked through the maze-like streets, deep shadows blanketed the path, but that didn’t cause any trouble for the two. Occasionally, they still saw a dark figure trailing behind them, keeping up regardless of how fast and discreetly they moved.

Corvo spoke up. “Up ahead is a small courtyard. It seems we’ll have to confront our pursuer.”

Garrett nodded and they walked through an archway and both stood on opposite sides by the entrance and waited. Soon a figure with an even stranger mask than the one Corvo donned walked in warily, yet they didn’t even look behind. He glanced over at the other man and was given a ‘go ahead’ gesture so he took out his blackjack, planning to sneak up behind the unsuspecting Whaler and knock them unconscious. Instead, _he_ was caught unaware as the other suddenly turned around and caught him in action—a hand wrapped around his wrist, holding him in place and pulling his mask down to expose his face. Even worse, he felt another presence settle behind him and he knew it wasn’t Corvo. 

Struggling to free himself, the vice-like grip only tightened and the pressure felt like it was crushing his bones. He needn’t have worried about being killed from the back because a loud bang sounded and he heard a thud. His eyes never left the Whaler in front though and now they drew their sword quickly and he kicked the other in the leg _hard_ , but to no avail as they didn’t even flinch. Before he could even brace himself—getting stabbed was never fun—there was a disturbance in the air to his left and Corvo appeared, just in time to block the other with his own sword. 

Garrett saw the gun press up against the Whaler’s torso the same moment the other felt it and looked down—another shot rang out. The tight hold fell away and he snatched his hand back to wipe the drop of blood off his cheek and grimaced—it was warm on his fingertips. Looking over at Corvo, the other hadn’t been so lucky since he’d blocked most of it from landing on the thief which resulted in his front being splattered in blood.

“Well, that could’ve went better, but–thanks.” 

Corvo put his weapons away and took the mask off. “You’re welcome.”

Garrett looked down at the bodies. They were lying in their own pool of blood, dead instead of unconscious, thanks to the gun. He still didn’t like it any better than when the other had demonstrated it earlier. In fact, he liked it even less.

“You knew there was two of them.” Garrett didn’t even phrase it as a question, since he already knew.

The assassin only gave a small smile and shrugged.

He rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest, attempting to frown. “Next time, _you_ can be the bait.”

This time he got a laugh.

  


  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so i had to load up dishonored just to see how the pistol looked and reloaded lol.  
> also i cant believe its halloween tomorrow!!


	22. Unnecessarily gross

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tbh, I don't think this is gross enough. *sighs* Also hi, it's November now, oops. 
> 
> -
> 
> Here's a link to the [prompt](https://gurobob.tumblr.com/post/165296522375/its-time-for-horrortober-ive-scraped-together-a) on tumblr.

22\. Unnecessarily gross  
[ melting, rotting, dripping, oozing! Hahaha! ]

  
**\--**

  


Garrett groaned and stirred—not fully awake, yet no longer in the realm of sleep. He groaned again as pain lanced through his head, a dull throbbing at the back. He felt disoriented and nauseous and a putrid smell that wafted through the air wasn’t helping. There was a ringing in his ears and a slight humming noise. From behind his closed eyelids, he could see the flickering of orange and tried to open them. They felt like they were glued shut, but he managed to crack them open only to be assaulted by the bright light in a sea of darkness; he slammed them shut. 

His limbs felt sluggish as he tried to move blindly, hands twitching and one fell against something sticky and he grimaced, pulling away and wiping it off on the ground. The ground which he was lying on was surprisingly soft, softer than he’d expected and it gave way to his movements, albeit lumpy and hard at some points which dug into his back. The smell was starting to get to him and he could feel the bile start to rise as he clamped a hand over his mouth and nose, trying to hold it down and block out the stench as well. 

He realized his error when a faint coppery scent filled his nostrils—it was the smell of blood—and the shock combined with the present odor prompted him to gag and he lurched onto his side and proceeded to vomit what little content he held in his stomach. Tears sprang to his eyes from the force and the raw feeling it left behind in his throat. The constant ringing in his ears grew and his head pounded, feeling like it would split apart. Spitting, he tried to get rid of the sourness, but no matter what, it lingered in his mouth as he swallowed the bitter taste. 

Turning away from the mess he’d made, he attempted to open his eyes again and blinked the tears away, clearing his vision. Right above him, he could see a huge hole in the crumbled ceiling and nothing else except darkness beyond that, the only light was down here with him—torch lit in the corner of his eye. He was indoors, but that didn’t explain where he was or more importantly, where the blood had come from. He didn’t feel any excruciating pain besides his headache, so it couldn’t be from him. Pushing himself to sit upright, he felt sweat form across his brow and his arms tremble, the exertion from that simple action sapping away at his energy. 

Propping his legs up, he wrapped his arms around his knees and leaned his head on them. He closed his eyes and took deep steady breaths through his mouth. He knew he needed to get up soon and look around to find a way out of wherever this was, but he was drained and all he wanted to do was lie down again. Forcing his eyes open, they landed on the ground between his legs and he was just staring blankly into the dim space when he caught a strange shape by his left foot. Curious, he lifted his head up and lowered his arms and legs to unblock his view and blanched at the sight. It was a human hand. Garrett’s eyes followed the limp appendage down to its shoulder which its head was nestled against—its eyes stared right back at him. 

He flinched and moved backwards, almost falling right into the puddle of vomit he’d spewed earlier. Head reeling, he finally looked around and found himself surrounded by bodies in all manners of decomposition—some recently deceased while others had been dead for quite awhile. The hum he’d been hearing were from the flies buzzing around and now that he looked closely, he could see small twitches here and there on the festering flesh—the squirming mass of maggots caused his skin to crawl. Not only were there corpses around him, he gradually realized the soft surface he was sitting upon were more bodies. 

Garrett sprang up swiftly, but his foot got caught and he fell—this time he couldn't avoid the vomit. It was lukewarm to the touch and caused a soft squelch as the thick texture oozed between his fingers. He choked in surprise and inhaled through his nose, the strong smell of his vomit knocked the air out of him and cruelly invaded his senses. He retched and coughed violently, body hunched over and trembling as he barely held himself up with shaky arms. Shutting his eyes, he hastily wiped his hands off on a surface he’d rather not think about, yet he could not.

He could feel the cold flesh against his own clammy palms and see the pallid decaying flesh wherever he looked—he averted his eyes from the hollow gazes. Casting his eyes around, there seemed to be no exit from this room and with the ceiling so high up, there was no way he could possibly climb up. Sitting there upon the mound of bodies, dread filled his stomach and disgust crawled along his skin, slithering down his spine. He'd been lying with the dead, unaware and unconsciousness for who knows how long like a cheap mimic. Now he wished he hadn’t woken up at all.

  


  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i can't believe i googled pictures of vomit just bcuz i needed to see if the consistency could cause a squelching noise—actually i'm still debating about that. *wheezing laughter*


	23. The romantic full moon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Romantic?? More like ~~scary~~ spoopy werewolf drabble. *cool shades emoji*
> 
> -
> 
> Here's a link to the [prompt](https://gurobob.tumblr.com/post/165296522375/its-time-for-horrortober-ive-scraped-together-a) on tumblr.

23\. The romantic full moon  
[ let’s have something classy after that… ]

  
**\--**

  


“Why did I even let you drag me out here?” Garrett sighed. He leaned against the rough bark of the tree, listening to the rustle of the leaves above when the wind blew through them. 

“For a picnic under the moon—the _full_ moon.” Erin said happily, pulling food and drink out from the sack she'd carried. “Also to see if werewolves are real.”

He frowned. “You do know not _all_ rumors are true right?” He crossed his arms over his chest and gave her a hard stare.

“All right, you got me. I just wanted to spend some time with you.” She gave him a pitiful look—eyes wide and innocent and her lips curled up at the corners. 

“You know, that doesn't work on me and I just saw you yesterday at Basso’s.” He said resignedly. He moved away from the tree and joined her under the moonlit spot on the uneven ground, watching as a grin spread over her face. 

“I know. I also know that you know that I know you'll still probably end up giving in to whatever whim it is of mine in the end. Most of the time.” Her grin turned cheeky and Garrett rolled his eyes; it was an unfortunate habit he'd picked up from her. 

“Anyways, I got some fine cheese and bread, some wine—” She waggled her eyebrows and he snorted. “—and also some fruits, including grapes.” His eyed them with interest and swiped a few; they were his favorite. 

“Now we just have to wait for the werewolf to show up and we’ll be all set.” Erin cackled and he ignored her, savoring the grapes—they were just firm enough for a slight crunch as he bit into the flesh, juice sweet and sticky where it ran down his fingers. 

It was actually a decent night out with a cool breeze in the air and since no one lived out here in the forest, all he could hear were the calming sounds of nature. He slowly relaxed and watched the night sky, the moon round and luminous, surrounded by stars twinkling here and there. They sat there for awhile, enjoying the scenery until the wind picked up, caressing them with cold hands and Garrett shivered; he pulled his cloak around him tighter. 

“Let’s go.” He spoke up, breaking the silence and getting to his feet. 

“But we haven’t seen a werewolf yet.” Erin pouted. 

Garrett could see she was trying not to shiver and gave her a pointed look. 

“You’re going to catch a cold. Remember last time you got sick?”

She made a face and groaned. “Ugh, don’t remind me.” 

He helped her pack everything back up and they trudged through the forest, heading back to civilization. They were almost out when a loud howling pierced the quiet night, it was low-pitched and dragged on for a few moments.

“You know, I was kidding about the werewolf thing right?” Erin whispered with a look of uncertainty painted across her face. 

Garrett was about to tease her for being scared of a mere wolf when there was a slight stirring of the foliage from behind and they both turned to look. From the darkness of the forest, glowing amber eyes stared back at them, reflected by the moonlight. 

He could just see the outline of a bulky shape, far bigger than a common wolf beyond the sharp pair of eyes when it began prowling towards them. A chill went through Garrett and this time it wasn’t just from the cold.

  


  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i was debating whether or not to use this prompt for a shippy corvo/garrett ficlet (to draw in more views/comments lmao) but then naw. here's a silly interaction between garrett and erin instead.


	24. A haunted item

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I saw this prompt and the first thing I thought of was: "Erin touched it!" XD
> 
> -
> 
> Here's a link to the [prompt](https://gurobob.tumblr.com/post/165296522375/its-time-for-horrortober-ive-scraped-together-a) on tumblr.

24\. A haunted item  
[ obviously someone touched it. tsk. ]

  
**\--**

  


Garrett suppressed a sneeze. It was awfully dusty in here—every surface was covered with a layer of it and he could see the particles floating by in the air. He was thankful he had a mask, otherwise he would be sneezing continuously. 

“Wow it’s dus—” Erin sneezed. “—dusty in here.” She sneezed again. “Ughh.” 

Garrett watched the dust get stirred around violently before it settled once again on the closest surface nearby. 

Erin buried her face behind her scarf and mumbled. “I hate dust.”

The feeling was mutual. 

Besides being dusty, the room was poorly lit and cluttered with worthless knickknacks and rows of books upon shelves as tall as the ceiling; some were tossed about in disarray and in a general mess and others in random stacks. There went easily searching for the book they were after out the window. At this rate, it’ll be lucky if they found it before dawn.

He sighed and walked up to the nearest bookcase. Hopefully with Erin here, the task would go quicker and he settled in, browsing the books on the shelf in peaceful quiet. Not even a minute later, the silence was broken by Erin. 

“There are too many books. How are we supposed to find the dumb book?”

He continued looking through the shelves, didn’t even bother looking at her, but he knew the other was most likely pouting with her hands on her hips. 

“Maybe if you tried looking, we'll find it.” He muttered.

“I heard that!” She grumbled. 

Her footsteps moved away from him and Garrett glanced over to see her walking to the other side of the room. He smiled in amusement behind his mask as she starting looking through the books. They searched for awhile, occasion humming coming from Erin and Garrett’s focus on solely on finding the book. He finally stopped when his neck felt like it was about to fall off from looking up and down so often. 

He’d only gone through about a quarter of the shelves and he hadn’t even touched the books scattered everywhere else. He closed his eyes, rubbing at his temples in slight irritation. The only information they’d been given about the book was that it was old and about curses and how to break them. He didn’t believe in that stuff, but a paying client meant gold in his pockets which was why they were here. His eyes stayed closed, ears listening to Erin’s soft humming until she abruptly stopped and his eyes flickered open.

“Erin?” He called quietly, but there was no response. 

Leaving his side of the room, he moved towards where he heard her last. There was even more stuff over here and he made his way through carefully, each step trying to avoid something else. Passing a few bookcases, he finally saw Erin’s form a few feet away, back towards him.

“Did you find something?” He asked, slowly making his way around a table set between them, piled high with more books and he spotted a few places free of dust; Erin must’ve looked through these already. 

When she didn't answer, he looked back at her and warily called her name again. She still didn’t reply, but she did look over at him though something was wrong. Her face was devoid of any emotion—eyes glazed over looking right through him as if he wasn’t there at all. He quickened his pace as she turned back around and walked away from him.

As he rounded the corner of the table, he saw her heading towards an ominous glowing object and dread filled his stomach as he ran.

“Don't touch it!” He cried, but it was too late as he pulled her back, grip tight on her shoulder as he turned her around to face him. 

The empty look in her eyes vanished and she seemed to break out of the trance and flinched, dropping the item—it no longer glowed—like it burned her.

“What just happened? She whispered, looking around confusedly. 

Garrett was about to reply when suddenly the lights flickered and went out completely, casting the room in near darkness with only the moonlight trickling in and the temperature fell drastically even though it was a warm summer night. A low raspy voice could be heard, but the words were indiscernible and sounded rather like gibberish; it only got louder and louder until it turned into maniacal laughter, echoing all around. 

Clapping his hands over his ears didn’t seem to do much to block out the sound, but eventually the cry ended with a piercing shriek which left his ears ringing. They both looked down at the ground where an innocent looking hand mirror lay, surprisingly it’s glass surface remained intact and not shattered seeing how fragile it looked. The mirror gleamed in the moonlight and only reflected their confusion back at them.

“We need to find that book.”

  


  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so i only hav 7 more prompts to go. pray 4 me guys.


	25. Is this a hallucination?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, so we finally get to this prompt which was one I was really looking forward to. Not sure if I'm 100% satisfied with it, but oh well. At this rate, I just need to churn these out ASAP before I completely burn out. :'D
> 
> -
> 
> Here's a link to the [prompt](https://gurobob.tumblr.com/post/165296522375/its-time-for-horrortober-ive-scraped-together-a) on tumblr.

25\. Is this a hallucination?  
[ untrustworthy reality is a real distress ]

  
**\--**

  


Something was strange. 

The floor seemed to move, closer yet further away and although it was stable beneath his feet, it felt like it would give out any second. His head felt woozy and a thick floral aroma hung heavy in the air—the cloying scent filled his mouth and he gagged. Garrett felt as if his senses had been amplified, but dulled at the same time as he moved. 

Looking around, his vision was hazy and dim like a fog had rolled in, obscuring everything but a few feet in front of him. He blinked, hoping to clear his vision and his surroundings grew a bit clearer before it darkened once more. Rubbing his eyes harshly didn’t do anything except irritate them—a weary ache settled behind his eyes.

He continued forward, each step felt like shackles were around his ankles, dragging behind and slowing him down, but where was he heading? He’d lost sight of the objective awhile ago and there was a slight pounding in his head when he tried to focus. A silhouette appeared in front of him and he stopped, peering at it before he recognized the figure. 

“Erin?” He murmured. 

She stepped closer until she hovered above him. He then realized he’d fallen to his knees as he looked up at her instead of down like usual. 

“C’mon Garrett, stand up.” Erin’s voice echoed through his mind as a faint humming sound flowed into his ears. 

A hand drifted into view and he looked up again to see Erin with a dark gleam in her eyes before it vanished and a smile slid upon her face. Garrett felt a trickle of unease run down his spine and stared at her, eyes searching for something—anything. 

“We don’t have all day to waste Garrett.” She huffed. “We have to go now.”

Nothing seemed to be out of place—except himself—so he ignored it, even though something nagged at him and reached for her outstretched hand as she wiggled it impatiently. Right before he grasped her hand, a loud bang startled him and he fell back on his haunches, turning towards the sound only to be blinded by bright light. He looked away until his eyes slowly adjusted to the lighting and glanced over, confused by the sight.

Standing in a doorway was…Erin? 

He looked back in front of him and Erin stood there with annoyance, glaring at the second Erin who had appeared. 

Just what was happening?

“Garrett?” The second Erin spoke up, walking towards him.

He pushed himself up and that action caused him to break out in a light sweat, sluggishly moving backwards, away from both of them. He was wary and confused by this turn of events and his head throbbed.

“Stay away.” He said quietly, watching as she stopped in her tracks, but the first Erin began to move closer instead.

“What’s wrong?”

“I said, stay away!” 

He moved back quickly to gather more distance between Erin and himself when he found his way blocked by a hard surface behind him and turned around to discover a…wall? A tight grip around his wrist pulled him back to the situation at hand—coldness seeping through his leather bracers and it burned him. He flinched and pulled away, but Erin’s hold was firm and her nails would’ve dug in if it weren’t for the leather.

“Let go of me.” He hissed between clenched teeth.

She only gave him a malicious look, lips curled in a wide sneer and an equally wicked laugh.

The humming noise grew louder, resonating in his ears and his head was pounding like someone was attempting to crack it open. He groaned as he held his head with his free hand, the other still clenched painfully as ice swept through him. 

“Garrett!” 

He heard his name being called, but it sounded from a great distance away—his hearing was muffled like he was being held underwater. Everything seemed like it was getting further and further away and darkness was closing in; his eyes felt heavy, but something told him to keep them open so he tried. He barely made out a dark shape as it approached him and he struggled to move, yet he could hardly feel his limbs anymore. Was he even standing?

Suddenly, his hand was covered with warmth and his eyes flew open, no longer weighed down and everything was clear like a veil of darkness had been lifted off. The chill radiating from the grip upon his wrist fell away and he realized Erin was once again hovering above him, but this time with a worried look. 

“Are you alright? Can you hear me?”

He opened his mouth to speak and immediately coughed. Swallowing what little saliva he had to quell his dry mouth, he managed to speak—albeit, rather raspily. 

“I—I don’t know. What’s happening? There were two of you and now there’s only you…” He drifted off, trying to think and recollect his thoughts.

Her eyebrows furrowed, a look of confusion appeared that must’ve matched his own.

“What do you mean? There was only you in this room Garrett.”

She pulled him up to his feet, only letting go of his hands when he stopped swaying. He missed the warmth already, filling the cool air chill his skin. 

“C’mon, let’s get out of here. You don’t look so well.”

He was deeply perturbed, but he merely nodded and followed her lead, back towards the door—towards the light away from the stifling darkness. Before he stepped through the threshold, the flowery scent returned and filled his nose, the smell invasion and it choked him. Instantly, the hairs on the back of his neck raised as a voice hummed in his mind, bypassing his ears altogether.

“Leaving already? I’ll miss you.” 

He swore he felt a cold touch latching around his wrist and then the door slammed shut behind him.

  


  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh boy, so for the next prompt i was wondering how the heck i was supposed to do it (i'm still not entirely sure), but i hav a gr8 idea or bad, depends on how u look at it lol


	26. Let’s watch this old tape

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tried so hard to keep all of these in the "canon era", but alas, VHS tapes has ruined my plans. Though like 2 more upcoming prompts are gonna have to be "modern!au" as well lol.
> 
> -
> 
> Here's a link to the [prompt](https://gurobob.tumblr.com/post/165296522375/its-time-for-horrortober-ive-scraped-together-a) on tumblr.

26\. Let’s watch this old tape  
[ VHS will never be replaced as scariest media ]

  
**\--**

  


The tape was nondescript, no name or anything to indicate what it was of. He was about to place it back on the shelf to search for something else when it was snatched out of his hands. 

“What's this?” Erin asked, flipping it over. 

“I don't know. It looks like a recorded tape someone left behind.” He replied, browsing through the shelf. 

“Let's watch it! It's probably funny _and_ embarrassing!” 

Of course. 

He wasn't interested, but he knew Erin would nag at him until they did. He sighed and reluctantly nodded, moving the short distance to the couch. Sitting back on the lumpy cushions, he watched as Erin turned the TV on and shoved the tape into the VHS player harder than she should've in excitement and bounded over, plopping down next to him. 

They waited for the tape to start, but the screen was black and still for what felt like a minute before Erin whined. “Whaat? Is it blank or did someone forget to re—”

The screen flickered and static noises filled the room, startling them both. Then it turned quiet again and an image appeared—the backdrop was of the woods with the focus on a well. It then changed to a few other random scenes: one of a lady brushing her hair, one of crawling insects squirming across the screen and then one of the sea with a with a equine body washed up on its shore. 

The scenes were strange and unsettling. Watching the tape made the hairs on Garrett’s arms rise, like someone was watching him, but he knew that there was no one else in the cabin besides the two of them. It ended abruptly after a closer shot of the well before Garrett realized how tense he had gotten, shifting his stiff limbs. The screen was dark once again and he stared at it, deep in thought.

“That was _not_ what I was expecting.” Erin said quietly. “It was weird and not in a good way either.”

Garrett agreed. He didn’t like the feeling it gave off and he didn’t understand the motivation behind it. Whoever had made the tape was—odd, to say the least. He was about to get up to turn the TV off when the phone suddenly rang, its shrill cry breaking the ambience and they both gave each other a questioning look.

“Were you expecting a call?” Garrett asked. 

Erin shook her head and leaned back, putting her feet up on the coffee table. “Nope. Maybe it’s the front desk?”

He got up and made his way over to the counter as the phone continued to ring. He debated whether he should answer or not, but if it really was from the cabin office, he’d rather deal with them on the phone than in person. Sighing, he brought the phone up to his ear. 

“Hello?” He waited for a cheerful voice to respond, but was met with complete silence. After a few seconds had passed, there was still no sound. Frowning, he was about to hang up when a voice spoke up.

“Seven days.” That was all the eerie voice said before he heard a click and the line went dead.

“Who was it?” 

He turned around to face Erin as she leaned over the back of the couch, looking at him curiously.

“I think it was a prank call.” He said, annoyed that he had to answer the phone.

Erin snorted. “Oh man! What did they say?”

He sighed again. “All they said was ‘seven days’. What does that even mean?”

Erin gasped and he gave her a sharp look, wondering if she was going to make fun of him like usual except her expression had gone pale and there was no trace of a smile. Instead, she seemed rather scared.

He was about to ask her what was wrong when she blurted out, “Are you sure?” 

He nodded and watched as her eyes flashed with worry as she fell back against the armrest, pulling her knees up as if to make herself as small as possible.

Garrett had a sinking feeling that something bad was going to happen and that somehow Erin knew what it was, so he asked her again warily. “So what does it mean?”

She fiddled with her hands—a nervous tick—before she slowly lifted her head up and her eyes raised to meet with his. “It—what it means is that we have seven days.” She paused and looked away. “Seven days before we _die_.”

  


  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yes, i did a 'the ring' au *cackles*


	27. The experiment

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's halfway through November already? Well shit.
> 
> -
> 
> Here's a link to the [prompt](https://gurobob.tumblr.com/post/165296522375/its-time-for-horrortober-ive-scraped-together-a) on tumblr.

27\. The experiment  
[ bright lamp, needles, and that icky too-clean smell ]

  
**\--**

  


There was a muted ringing in his ears—low and constant—and his eyelids were held shut with the heavy weight of more than just drowsiness. He was conscious, but his mind was too groggy to comprehend anything besides the fact that it was dark and that he felt very cold. Thick fog seemed to surround Garrett and it wrapped around him—the mist cooled his skin further.

Something nagged at the back of his mind, but he couldn’t figure out what it was as chills ran through him. Why was it so cold? He groaned and the sound seemed to echo in his mind, pounding against the sides of his skull as his throat ached when he made a sound, it worsened when he swallowed. As he attempted to move, Garrett realized he couldn’t feel his limbs and with his eyes closed, he couldn’t tell if he was even moving.

A crawling sensation tugged at him and it slowly grew, it felt cumbersome and tight radiating somewhere from his lower abdomen. He tried lifting his eyelids and found that they didn’t seem to be anchored by a hefty weight anymore, freeing his sight from total darkness as he peeled them open. Blinking away the blurriness, he finally focused on what was in front of him—the ceiling. That told him he was lying on his back and looking down as best as he could revealed that he was held in place by…nothing—he was just lying there on what appeared to be a table.

Confusion flooded Garrett as he tried to process what was going on, but that was interrupted by bright lights suddenly stabbing into his eyes. Wincing, he shut them rapidly against the harsh glow, gradually cracking his eyelids open to adjust to the light illuminating his surroundings. Turning his head from side to side, he discovered white walls all around and the faint scent of something chemical wafting through the cool air.

Breaking the silence, Garrett heard the clack of shoes against tiles, steadily growing louder until it sounded right outside the room. He closed his eyes, not wanting whoever it was to know he was awake and slowed his breathing as the soft exhale of a door opened and the footsteps grew near. Feeling the presence linger by his side, it hovered over him and that made him want to run and hide as he felt eyes roaming over his body, examining him—he felt naked.

All of a sudden, a voice spoke up, barely above a whisper though it was loud enough in the small and silent room. “Ah, you are the perfect specimen. As long as everything goes as planned with Patient #4, then it’ll be your turn. My experiment will definitely succeed this time.” 

A touch to Garrett’s face startles him enough to twitch—he could finally feel his finger move, though just slightly—and hoped the movement went unnoticed. The contact continued, a rubber texture dragged against his skin from the side of his cheek to his chin. He managed to hold still and not tense up no matter how much he wanted to lean away from the caress. A sigh was let loose and then the touch fell away, followed by the sharp steps moving elsewhere; the door swung open and then shut and the footfalls ceased after a while. 

Garrett’s eyes flew open. Experiment? That didn't sound good and that also explained why he couldn't feel much of his body. He must've been drugged and numbed, and although it was wearing off, the pace was too slow and he couldn't afford that right now. The tug he felt earlier itched and he could feel it as a dull heat in his belly now, the weight seemed to smother him as he finally figured out what the feeling was: it was fear.

  


  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i called garrett a perfect specimen im dead XD


	28. A message on the glass

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *dumps a 2.5k+ word chapter* plz take this because its grown out of control and by 'it' i mean 'me' asnjfkbrfk—
> 
> -
> 
> Here's a link to the [prompt](https://gurobob.tumblr.com/post/165296522375/its-time-for-horrortober-ive-scraped-together-a) on tumblr.

28\. A message on the glass  
[ maybe it’s a window or a mirror… ]

  
**\--**

  


It had rained recently so Garrett avoided the puddles of water pooling everywhere on the uneven streets, a few deep ditches here and there. The skies were even darker than usual with the rain clouds gathered overhead and that made it more gloomy—a drowsy mood seemed to blanket over the city. With the rain brought a biting wind and the cold seeped into him, making his joints ache and what little body fat he had clearly did not help keep him warm which annoyed the thief.

His outfit kept most of him covered, but the cold always managed to get to him, chilling him slowly from the outside in. Feeling the slap of coldness against his cheeks as his mask was lowered, he blew on his exposed fingers that the wind nipped at; the fleeting, but warm puff of air helped thaw out the stiff appendages. As he wiggled his fingers, clenching and unclenching his hands, a movement from the ground caught the corner of his eye.

Looking over, there wasn’t anything that seemed out of place. All there was was small pools of water, a muted reflection of himself gazing back. Thinking nothing of it, he was about to walk past when another shape—it was rather blurry—appeared and Garrett rapidly spun around, but there was no one behind him. Turning back just as swiftly, he watched as the shape turned into a silhouette, yet it was still unclear and before he could blink, the water’s surface rippled, breaking the image.

Raindrops started falling, but he stood still as the rain softly fell on him, darkening and sliding off his leather. He stared at the puddle, though it only continued to ripple as the rain came down a bit harder and Garrett finally moved, not wanting to get soaked. What was that? There wasn’t anyone around him, that he knew, yet there had been a reflection in the puddle besides his. Was it just a trick of the eye? Unsure of what he just saw, he was jolted out of his thoughts when he stepped into a puddle, thankfully it was shallow and made more sound than actually splash him.

Dodging the rest of the puddles on the ground, he quickly made his way towards the direction of the clock tower, wanting to get out of the cold and wet outdoors as soon as he could. He was looking forward to his bed and warmth, whether it was provided by a toasty fire or a nice cup of hot tea, he wasn’t picky. With that in mind, he pushed what had just happened to the back—he’d deal with it if it came up again, though hopefully not.

  


* * *

  


Garrett was thankful it was no longer raining anymore. Two weeks of constant downpour was just dreary and not helpful for traversing over the rooftops and he was sick of being drenched. He’d also gotten sick and had been stuck indoors mostly, but it was a better alternative than being outside in the cold, so he had just mainly patched up all the holes and spots that the rain had leaked through into the tower. Who knew there had been so many?

Now if it rained again, there should be no more leaking or water tracked all over the floorboards, nor waking up to water droplets splashing upon his face. Although even without the heavy clouds hung in the sky, it was still as bleak as ever, but with the rain gone at least Garrett could continue on as normal with his jobs. He’d just completed one and was heading over to Basso’s, ready to drop off the item the client had needed with his particular set of skills. 

Moving across the rooftops at a steady pace, the wind that swept through his cape and skin was nice and cool, not sharp and chilly. Soon the town square appeared within view and Garrett made his way down, closer to the streets. Jumping the short distance onto a lower roof, he then dropped down to ground level once he deemed the coast clear. It was nighttime so it was clear of most people, but there was still the occasional guard patrolling nearby and it was just safer to make sure. 

Keeping to the shadows, he walked on over towards the Crippled Burrick where loud, but muffled voices could be heard from even behind the closed door. It was either a celebration going on or a fight was starting up and he did not want to be caught up in either. He preferred a calm and quiet atmosphere to enjoy his cup of tea and fighting…well, he’d usually be gone at the first sign of trouble if he could help it. 

Passing by swiftly, he pushed open the gates separating the back of the tavern from the streets and slipped through; the clearing quiet with only a few figures still out. Everyone minded their own business and with no one paying attention to him, he walked over to Basso’s and entered, not even bothering to knock. Fortunately the fence was there and not drinking at the pub so he took care of business straightaway and then left shortly afterwards. 

Deciding to head over to Ector’s real quick, he turned right instead of left back to the tower and walked past the now closed shops. As he did, he felt like he was being watched so he discreetly looked around only to spot something in a window. Stepping closer, he peered at the dusty pane of glass, but the reflection of the figure was hard to make out, too blurry. As he watched, the figure moved closer and became more pronounced, yet their features were still vague. 

He whirled around, attempting to catch whoever it was trying to sneak up on him, but there was no one. Déjà vu hit him and he looked back at the window to find no trace of a figure and the prickling sensation of eyes on him disappeared as well. This time he knew he clearly saw something so he couldn’t just explain it off as a figment of his imagination. Chills ran through him and he turned back. He could go to Ector’s another day, right now he’d rather head back to the clock tower where he was inside and safe.

  


* * *

  


It was evening, the sunlight still out, but it's rays were weak from the clouds partially obscuring it. Usually Garrett would prefer to sleep in until a bit later, lying under the covers until the sun had set to go about his day—or night, in his case. However, after that night, Garrett went out of his way to avoid staying out too late, unfortunately discovering that the eerie phenomenons occurred more often when it was dark out. Due to a few more encounters, he’d also found that it wasn’t limited to just late at night, it also happened when it was dark enough which was often with the gloomy-looking weather all the time. 

Therefore, he had seen a few shadows from windows he'd passed by, but he hadn't lingered long enough to examine them closely, wanting to be as far away as possible. Occasionally he did feel a presence around even when he couldn’t see anyone or anything and he could feel a pair of eyes focused on him more than he liked. No one was supposed to see or watch him; he was a thief—one who was undetected and went unseen, but now it seemed the tables had been turned. It bothered him enough to avoid windows and now he was fearing that maybe he was just going a bit crazy because the alternative would be that there was something unnatural stalking him. He wasn’t sure what was worse.

He’d never believed in the supernatural and such, always believing in what he could see and touch. For Garrett, everything had an answer and could be explained, perhaps not a good answer, but one nonetheless. This situation though, it threw everything out the window for him and he wasn’t sure anymore and found that he had no proper answer for it either. He couldn’t figure out why and how this unexplainable thing was happening so he chose the best course of action: he chose to avoid and ignore it—two skills of his that Basso always pestered him about. He sighed and dismissed that line of thought.

He had forgotten how busy it was when there was still light out—crowds of people bustling about. One more thing to add to the ever growing list of things to avoid: people. At least they were still too ignorant to look up regardless of what time of day it was and that never ceased to amaze Garrett. Leaping from roof to roof, he ran, staying in motion as the buildings around him faded and grew distant with each step he took. It was only when his surroundings grew dim that he stopped and realized that he had unconsciously traveled further than he'd intended. 

A sliver of dread slid down his spine at the waning light—he'd never make it back to the tower before night fell completely. That didn't mean he wouldn't try regardless. Jolting into action, he sped across the roof at a fast pace, gradually approaching his destination. He was almost there when the sun had set, but he didn't falter even when a creeping feeling came over him. It did distract him enough to not notice glass strewn in his path until he stepped on it—the crunch beneath his feet drawing his attention. Where had it come from?

Looking around gave away nothing and Garrett was not curious enough to stop right now to find the source it came from. Not with the urgent voice in his head telling him to keep moving, to get to the tower quick. Turning away from the debris, he was about to head off when he felt, rather than see, a presence right by him and he stopped in his tracks. He swept his eyes around again and like before, there was nothing of interest nearby and absolutely no windows in sight. Even so, the presence still lingered and he slowly moved backwards, glancing down when he tread on the glass once more. 

In the dark it was hard to make out, but with the light emanating from several bright lampposts close by, he could see the shards of glass were mostly heaped together. He could also see when a shadow suddenly materialized across the pieces, creating a distorted and imperfect image. Reflecting back at him were a pair of large cold eyes—eyes that locked onto his, boring into him until he firmly shut his and turned away. The loud thud of his heartbeat was all he could hear as he scurried away.

  


* * *

  


It had been weeks since seeing that pair of eyes in the remains of glass and Garrett had covered every reflective surface in the clock tower shortly afterwards. He had also made sure to be back in the tower before night fell, not wanting to risk it. It made things a bit more complicated for the thief—that was the least of his worries—but he didn't dare step foot outside before dawn broke. Even though he hadn't seen anything since, those eyes flashed in his mind and haunted his every waking moment, though surprisingly it hadn't invaded his dreams—yet.

With those precautions in place, Garrett felt less wary, but it didn’t completely erase the unease he felt. Yet the restrictions he’d placed upon himself felt foolish after a month passed by and it didn’t last much longer after that. It annoyed him for feeling jittery every time night arrived and barred him from leaving the tower—he felt like a prisoner, trapped in his own home. He hated it, enough that he decided to go out one night, tossing all regards into the wind and practically tempting the shadow—whatever it was—by peering into every window he came across.

It hadn’t shown up though, like it had sensed the thief wanted it to out of spite and decided to play along by doing the opposite. Or maybe it had gotten sick of following him, deemed him no longer entertaining to trick which would be a great relief. The worst explanation his mind dug up and threw at him though was: what if it had just been his imagination all along? What if he was slowly going insane? Could he even tell what was reality from what wasn’t anymore? It was a dilemma, but he hadn’t needed to worry much because the strange occurrences didn’t resume.

He was skeptic at first, not believing that the entity had simply left just like that, but apparently it did. A month had turned into two and it had never appeared within that time frame; everything went back to normal, to how it was before he saw the shadow in a mere puddle. The only downside was that when he slept and dreamed, those eyes appeared and plagued him, turning his dreams into nightmares. Garrett only wished they’d stayed as bad fantasies, but nothing was ever that easy for him. 

The latest job from Basso required him to steal a painting from some guy who had taken it from the client—supposedly family spats and all that. It was rather humorous, a thief getting paid to steal stolen goods from another “thief”. He stood in a warehouse full of items covered with white sheets and he bet that this “thief” had probably taken more than just the painting, but since he was only getting paid for stealing back the painting, that was all he was going to look for. After several turns of unveiling the wrong thing, he tugged off the sheet of what he figured had to be the painting. 

The cloth fell away and his expectation was dashed underfoot, turning to mild tension thrumming under his skin once he registered that it was a mirror instead. He gulped. Although the shadow no longer stalked him, he still grew restless about anything reflective. Hesitantly, he peered at the looking glass, scanning over it and nothing appeared. It was rectangular in shape which was why he had mistaken it for possibly being the painting and the frame around the glass was some kind of yellow metal. The frame was of an intricate design with too much detail making it look quite gaudy along with the color.

Garrett was about to turn away, removing the tacky piece furniture from his sight when something moved. He watched as words scrawled across the surface of the mirror and he froze, heart plummeting into the pit of his stomach. His own ashen face was looking back stiffly, dark circles under his eyes from many nights of troubled sleep and his jaw clenched tightly. The words read: You can't run. A presence hovered over him, coldness seeping into his shoulders like dead weight, numbing him. His hands twitched and before he could ponder over the consequences, he held his blackjack within hand and brought it down on the mirror. 

The glass shattered and the presence immediately vanished as he exhaled shakily, realizing he'd been holding his breath. The mirror now had fractures around the outer edges where glass still clung to the frame, the center a jagged mess like a puzzle with missing pieces. Those pieces now lay on the ground, reflecting back his own eyes wide and tinged with uncertainty. Was it finally over? His reprieve was cut short—breath caught in his throat—when a low raspy laugh filled his ear and a far heavier weight draped across his back. With the mirror broken, he could no longer see behind him, but he didn’t have to see to know just what it was—the suffocating presence was more than enough of a giveaway.

  


  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so this part: 
> 
> 'He hated it enough that he decided to go out one night, tossing all regards into the wind and practically tempting the shadow—whatever it was—by peering into every window he came across.'
> 
> i dubbed as the 'fuck you scene' bcuz all i can see in my mind is garrett flipping off every window he comes across lmaoo


	29. Light from beneath

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TFW you should be sleeping but are writing instead bcuz you feel guilty for slacking off... (ノдヽ)
> 
> -
> 
> Here's a link to the [prompt](https://gurobob.tumblr.com/post/165296522375/its-time-for-horrortober-ive-scraped-together-a) on tumblr.

29\. Light from beneath  
[ so simple, yet a horror staple ]

  
**\--**

  


Garrett had no need for stealth, yet it was ingrained in him to be as quiet as he could, but the wooden boards were against him, creaking ever so sudden every few steps he took no matter how lightly he tread. It didn't matter much anyways since the house was old and decrepit, full of creaky noises emitting throughout the building and if houses could speak, he was sure it would be groaning under its own weight, as it looked to be barely holding itself together. 

Continuing down the hallway only proved to be the same—squeaky noises every other step so he just stopped sneaking. There was no one here besides him and the soft footfalls of his steps weren't out of place, rather it seemed to blend into the eerie atmosphere instead. He approached the end of the hall and turned a corner, about to head down another equally long corridor when he noticed light at the bottom of a door.

He stopped abruptly and moved back against the wall, concealing himself in the corner where the shadows were deeper. Surprised and confused, he stood there and stared at the door, the orange glow spilling out through the crack below. From the outside, he hadn't seen any movement or light from the windows indicating people inside and once within the house, he hadn't heard any living noises. Garrett chastised himself mentally for not being absolutely certain, but he had been so sure… 

The thief frowned, not very pleased at this turn of events, but since no one barged through the door to confront him, that meant whoever was in the room must not know of his presence. That was fine with Garrett as it would give him the chance to figure out if they were a threat or not and then choose the best course of action next. Moving away from the wall, he crouched, slowly and as silently as possible making his way over to the door with thankfully no erratic creaking from the floorboards. 

Now sitting back on his haunches in front of the door, he watched the light flicker and then eclipse as if something walked by in front of it. The light came back after a few seconds, seemingly brighter this time and he strained his ears trying to listen for any sounds, but there was absolutely nothing that he could hear. After a good solid minute of watching the light pool across the ground in front of his feet and no footsteps or voices came from within, he decided to move.

He reached for the doorknob, gently turning it while keeping an ear open and once the latch was released, he pushed it forward at a snail’s pace to avoid the hinges possibly screeching and announcing his arrival. As the door inched opened, Garrett could feel the sudden drop in temperature, causing him to shiver even through the leather and he could see his breath form wisps in the chilled air in front of him. The hairs rose on the back of his neck and he felt like eyes bore into him from behind. 

He left go of the knob, swiftly turning around to check behind him. The only thing he saw was the ugly wallpaper decorating the opposite wall, patches of it already gone and strips of it peeling away to further reveal a dark and muddy-colored wall beneath. Nobody stood behind him or anywhere in the hall as far as he could see and there had been no sounds of footsteps so they couldn’t have run off that fast without him hearing. 

An ominous creak brought his attention back around just in time to see as the door swung open inwards and he winced at the noise, no doubt somebody would notice. Pressing himself to one side of the doorframe, he waited with his blackjack out, ready to knock unconscious whoever the poor soul it was inside the room. He grew suspicious when no shadow moved or voice spoke out, even when the door hit something with a thud and the screech finally came to a stop.

Was there no one inside?

Garrett edged over to the door, attempting to peer into the room, but shut his eyes in pain when the warm glow turned into bright light which increased tremendously in intensity—it was enough to blind him. Throwing an arm out in front of his face, he shielded his eyes from the searing light, only lowering it when there was no longer orange burned onto his eyelids. Cracking open an eye, the room was now dim enough to look at so he rubbed the bleariness away, shooing the floating specks out of his sight. 

When his vision cleared, he glanced over to where the light emanated from and caught words scrawled messily across the back wall, lit by the meager candle that sat on the small rickety table right under the message: 

_Get out!_

The sensation of eyes upon him appeared again and he watched as the candlelight flickered once and then all of a sudden it went out, casting the room into darkness as if there had never been light in the first place. He felt a force push against him and hurried out of the room, not even sparing a look backwards when the door slammed shut behind him and this time as he strode down the hallway, there were no stray creaks. The only noise he could hear were his own feet padding along the wooden boards, otherwise, it was utterly silent.

  


  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hav u ever realized that the doors in houses open inwards not outwards...well damn me for wondering about realistic shit while writing bcuz that ruined my original ending ahh


	30. Fun and games

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I didn't expect to be too busy in December so I didn't try very hard to finish these sooner (sorry), but I should've because Life™ is a pain in the butt ughh.
> 
> -
> 
> Here's a link to the [prompt](https://gurobob.tumblr.com/post/165296522375/its-time-for-horrortober-ive-scraped-together-a) on tumblr.

30\. Fun and games  
[ everyone loves carnivals and clowns ]

  
**\--**

  


Garrett crouched, resting his head on his knees, willing the dizziness and nausea to go away. 

“You alright there Garrett?” Basso asked. 

He lifted his head enough to glare at the older man which only prompted a laugh that grated on his unsteady nerves. “I hate roller coasters.”

“Let's go on again!” Erin exclaimed as she bounded over, a smirk on her lips once she spotted Garrett hunched over. “Garrett—”

“No.” His voice was muffled, but his annoyance was clear. “I'm not going on another one of those death contraptions.”

She burst out laughing along with Basso this time and Garrett's expression turned sour as he glowered at them. He let her pull him to his feet, steadying him when he swayed a little and groaned. 

Patting him on the back, Erin snickered. “Alright, no more roller coasters. Instead—” She peered around and suddenly her eyes lit up. “—let's go there!

Garrett glanced over in the direction she was pointing at, but it was too general since there were several rides and attractions that way. Before he could even possibly protest, he was being dragged away and heard Basso shout from behind them. “Have fun!” 

Traitor. 

They now stood in front of the attraction Erin so helpfully pointed out—large yellow letters lit up the sign overhead reading: House of Mirrors. There were no people waiting in line; the only person was the bored-looking attendant on their phone who didn't even look up and just waved them through the entrance when they walked up.

They both entered the brightly lit space and immediately the angled mirrors caught their reflection and mirrored it twice. Erin stuck her tongue out and so did her duplicates while Garrett sighed, rubbing at his temples to assuage his small headache. 

He simply followed her as she sought the way through the puzzle, hiding a smile when she frowned coming upon dead ends and quietly listening to her chatter as they went deeper into the maze. They now walked down another sinuous hallway, but this one turned into a small chamber with mirrors all facing inwards. All strategically placed in a way that appeared to have no discernible way out. 

Garrett looked into the mirror closest to him and saw that his skin was paler than normal; damn roller coaster. It didn't help that the lights were washing him out with how brightly they shone, revealing the dark bags under his eyes and he grimaced. Looking around, he saw that there were twelve figures total reflecting around them, half of them himself. 

“This is kinda boring.” Erin said.

He looked up and caught her eyes through the mirror although her back was towards him.

“This was your idea.” He scoffed.

“I knooow.” She made a face at him and crossed her arms. 

Instantly, he knew she was up to something when he spied an impish grin spreading across her face. He spun around and watched warily as she walked away from him, closer to the mirrors while her hand trailed along the reflective surface and then paused. 

“Last one out is a rotten egg!” She yelled before disappearing from view, her voice echoing back slightly.

“Only you would think of something this childish.” He said quietly with a chuckle.

“I heard that!” 

He strode over to the mirror she had stood beside and discovered an opening. Stepping out of the chamber, he found himself in another corridor and mimicked Erin’s movements from earlier; gliding his hand over the mirror as he walked to see where a gap was to get through. 

Continuing this way, he gradually made progress through the maze until he encountered his first dead end. He was about to head back when he caught movement in the mirror and peered closer, realizing it was a familiar figure.

“Erin.” He muttered.

Turning around, she wasn’t anywhere in sight so he looked back in the mirror where she was staring straight at him and after a short pause, gave him an eerie smile.

“You know I don’t get spooked easily.” He said flatly, barely refraining himself from rolling his eyes.

She didn’t answer, only tilted her head slightly before walking off.

Garrett checked the position in the mirror where Erin stood previously and with one last glance to make sure, he followed the other once again. It was in this manner that he proceeded; only catching glimpses of Erin’s reflections flitting about and working out where to go next and when he lost sight of her, he listened to her giggles and went towards the sound instead. 

After about what felt like an eternity had passed, he swore Erin was screwing around with him because he knew he had passed by that mirror before—it had a small crack on the side. Yet he was a bit impressed by how she’d been evading him for so long without him actually seeing her physically. 

“Alright, you got me, but you know, you’re still stuck here in the maze as well...”

Since Erin still hadn’t spoken a single word, he wasn’t surprised by the lack of response, but a few moments later gave him a reaction he was looking for—an appearance in the mirror and a look of displeasure on her face. 

This time he lead the way and judging from the movement in the corner of his eye, Erin was quickly following him, though still a bit behind since he couldn’t hear her footsteps. A smirk tugged at his lips as he quicken his pace and as he rounded a corner, he found himself abruptly at the end of the maze—the red exit sign above a beacon to freedom. 

“Jeez, what took you so long?” 

Garrett glanced up sharply, head jerking in the direction of the voice—Erin’s voice. She stood outside, hanging over the line rope meant to keep people in a tidy line to await their turn (which was still empty) with an impatient look on her face.

What? 

Confusion washed through him. He knew she had been behind him so how could she have been out first? Mazes were only supposed to have one way through and she hadn’t crossed his path at the end getting by… 

Realizing she was still speaking, he tuned in, catching the end of her small rant. “—been out here for about almost ten minutes now. Also, you’re the rotten egg.”

When she didn’t get acknowledgement of any form, not even a grunt from Garrett, she looked over at him and his face seemed paler than after riding the roller coaster.

“Uhh, you okay? Did you see a ghost or something?” She laughed at her own joke, oblivious to his inner turmoil.

He stiffened as a sheet of ice settled over him. 

Although he wanted to run, his feet felt like lead as he slowly walked out of the attraction and since he couldn’t help it, he gave a brief look backwards and caught sight of a figure in the mirror. The reflection was no longer “Erin” but a dark and faceless silhouette, a stark contrast against the glass. He stared at it until he had to blink and when he opened his eyes again, it was gone. 

Yeah, definitely ‘ghost or something’ was correct.

  


  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> idk why, but i always make ghosts and shit attracted to garrett, sorry ~~not sorry~~ buddy.


	31. Time for candy!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh look, a whole darn year has gone by and just in time for Halloween again ahahah...sorry guys, I just wasn't in the mood to write. But I am finally ~~free~~ done with this!! 
> 
> -
> 
> Here's a link to the [prompt](https://gurobob.tumblr.com/post/165296522375/its-time-for-horrortober-ive-scraped-together-a) on tumblr.

31\. Time for candy!  
[ TREAT YOURSELF! ]

  
**\--**

  


The aroma of chocolate filtered throughout the building, so rich it hung thick in the air like dense fog, yet underneath that almost cloying scent was a strange sour note that threw off any sort of pleasantness and Garrett wrinkled his nose in distaste. It was like spraying copious amounts of perfume, hoping to hide the stench of one’s own bad odor. He hoped the sweets the shop sold were better than they smelled, because he could not imagine anyone wanting to eat it otherwise.

As he wandered further into the shop, Garrett wished that he didn’t have a sense of smell because it only got _worse_ and he resorted to shallow breaths through his mouth. He could feel the beginnings of a headache start to take hold and frowned. The reason why he was here at all was because of an absurd but rich client who wanted someone to steal the shop’s chocolate formula to help with their own declining business. He didn’t really understand the rich sometimes, but a paying client meant that he could pay his rent, so the faster he did the job, the sooner he got paid.

He grimaced as he caught a whiff of the lingering scent and moved even deeper inside. Soon he made it to the kitchen where he caught sight of the chocolatier, apparently still busy at work, leaning over the stove with a ladle in hand. In here, the saccharine smell was the strongest and Garrett almost gagged, slapping his hand over his mouth and nose. Just what was in the mixture?

Not taking the chance to actually vomit, he looked around and spotted a window in a corner, quietly slipping over to crack it open a bit and sighed at the small breeze that flowed in. Luckily, the spot was in the shadows so Garrett remained there, crouched, bored as he watched the man work, mumbling to himself and throwing different ingredients into the pot while jotting down notes in a journal at the same time.

After awhile, Garrett could feel his legs starting to cramp and shifted his stance, tempted to get up to stretch his legs a little when the other man finally moved away from the stove to the counter adjacent. He settled back down and watched as the man took a key from within their pocket and unlocked a nondescript wooden cabinet. From this angle, Garrett couldn’t see what was inside, but the ‘clang’ of glass was heard as he saw the few bottles strewn about placed inside.

Whatever contents the bottles held, Garrett didn’t know, but he wondered just how important they were to be held under lock and key. 10 minutes later, the man had the mixture in the pot poured into molds and left to cool and everything cleared away, the rest was deposited into the sink. It was good timing because pins and needles were starting to prick at Garrett’s legs and they ached. Unfortunately, he watched as the chocolatier took the journal he was writing in with him as he left the room, muttering to himself about “the perfect recipe” and bed.

Slinking from his position, Garrett quickly stretched before following the other out and towards the stairs. He waited until the man walked up first to leave a safe distance between them and then headed up. Once on the second floor, Garrett caught the other entering a room and then leaving a few moments later, empty handed. Well that made it easier on him if the other wasn’t paranoid enough to keep the journal with them constantly. The door was locked though and Garrett waited until the man entered a different room, before he moved closer. Watching the lights under the door, they were shut off shortly afterwards and not even 5 minutes later, snores could be heard from within.

With that noise, Garrett moved into action, effortlessly picking the door lock. This mission was too simple, boring even; the hardest thing about it was the waiting and the god-awful smell from the chocolates. Entering the room, he scanned it to find only bookshelves against the back and side walls and a simple desk in the center. Deciding the desk was easier to check first, he went through the drawers and came up with the journal after a quick search. It was just an ordinary looking book, nothing special about it, but apparently it held information that his client wanted, so he pocketed it. His temples throbbed, reminding him of his headache and he deemed it time to go.

Easily re-locking the door, he left the room and slipped back downstairs silently. As he was passing by the kitchen, he caught sight of the locked cabinet on the counter, illuminated by a lone candle; curiosity beckoned to him. He already had the journal so his job here was done, but what harm could come of it if he just snuck a peek? With his mind made up, he walked over to inspect the padlock upon the container and scoffed. The simplicity of the mechanism was hardly even worth the effort to lock whatever it held, so why bother? Frowning, Garrett was tempted to just leave then, but he was already here so he figured he could steal whatever was inside—rare ingredients would fetch a good price—it was only fair for being disappointed.

In a few seconds, the lock was off and the cabinet doors wide open revealing several small glass bottles filling the space within. They were all identical in shape and in size, but the contents inside all seemed to be different in color and consistency. Picking a random bottle up, Garrett shook it—a muffled ‘thud’ could be heard—turning it around to read the label only to find a messy scrawl and a crude sketch which who knew what it was meant to be. Just how was anyone supposed to decipher this eyesore? He brought it near the candle hoping that would help, but it didn’t so he set it down and reached for a different one. And set that one down to pick another. And then another one.

Finally, after a few bottles and only rising frustration, he took the cork of one off and gave it a cautious sniff and balked. It smelled rotten, like something had died and he shoved the top back on. Looking more closely at the label, the words were still illegible and the picture, a blob with six squiggles—in fact, it looked like a badly drawn bug of some kind.

What? That couldn’t be right...

He peered closer, looking at the words this time and the longer he looked, the scratches seemed to match the image.

  


_Beetles._

  


He set it down immediately and shuffled through all the bottles, focusing first on the drawings this time before the words. With every bottle he examined, disgust rose to the surface and Garrett’s stomach clenched, feeling a bit queasy.

  


_Fish-eyes._

  


_Spiders._

  


_Pig-blood._

  


_Maggots._

  


He shoved all the bottles as quickly as he could back into the cabinet—the soft ‘clang’ of the glass too loud to his ears—and shut the door, cringing at the sudden screech of the hinges as he put the lock back on it. Sparing one last glance around, he left the kitchen and the whole damn place behind, shaking his head like that would shake off the horrid discovery he'd made.

Once outside, Garrett slumped against the alley wall—the stone surface hard and cold against his back—and he finally took in a deep breath, hoping the cool air would clear his senses and shuddered. The scent from inside lingered heavy upon his clothing and brought the ingredients to mind; it was like being suddenly woken from sleep—from a nightmare—and the remnants of false reality still attempting to cling tight as it slowly faded out. However, unlike a bad dream, Garrett wasn't going to forget this matter anytime soon. He felt nauseous, but thankfully his headache had subsided so he hurried off without a backwards glance, desperate to wash and scrub the stench off as soon as he could. 

  


  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> for this final prompt, i actually wrote out the beginning and ending first and then played a long game of fill in the blank...OTL
> 
>    
> SOO, to everyone who's stuck with me this far, ty!! <33 this was an impromptu challenge for me so i struggled with time and motivation, but i rly did enjoy it and discovered i love writing horror/suspense lol. anywys, hav a happy whatevers left of spoop-tober guys!!


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